A Fresh Start
by Joey Penn
Summary: Sequel to Goodnight! Severus moves his family to a muggle neighborhood and the family settles in accordingly. Severus finds love, & someone from the family's past comes back into their lives, good or bad? Read to find out! lang! mentions sexual situations
1. A Surprise

And so here is the sequel to Goodnight!

I really like where I'm planning for the sequel to go and I hope you all do too, I have a feeling that it might reach to novel length proportions or I might split it into two stories, we'll see. Anyway for now here is A Fresh Start.

Oh and I just want to warn you that while the story is still about the three Snape boys there are a lot of other characters in this too and Severus has a grown up relationship, so this story is not quite as tame as Goodnight, not that I actually go into detail about anything but there will be references to sex and there will be swearing, I don't want to offend anyone so I'm just gonna give you proper warning.

But otherwise enjoy reading my newest baby!

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><p>The lighting was soft, and the room had a muted sense about it. There was the soft tinkling of the grand piano on the platform in the corner and the quiet, private conversations of the various couples sitting at their respective tables around the room. The waiters moved smoothly through the scattering of tables and served the patrons with a flourish.<p>

Severus sipped his white wine, studying the woman in front of him. She was eating her salad demurely. She was a rather tall woman if he thought about it, in her heals she was only an inch shorter than he. Her hair was brown and shone golden under direct light. Her eyes a hard hazel, speaking in volumes of her strength. She really was quite stunning.

Severus had told her he had exciting news and so she had dressed appropriately for a huge surprise at the fanciest restaurant in town, the one they frequented, they even had their own personal waiter and a rapport with the head chef; who more often than not left the kitchen to greet them.

She was wearing a tight, black cocktail dress, she really was impeccable and had the sort of taste that Severus himself had. She held herself with a certain superiority that Severus found irresistible; it was everything that he wanted in a partner.

Severus had made even more of an effort tonight to make himself presentable, he wanted tonight to be brilliant. He'd tied his hair back at the nape of his neck and his suit was new and the deep blackness of it contrasted well with his crisp white shirt and ice blue tie.

She looked up and smiled serenely at him. "So, Severus, what is this big surprise?" She put her fork down and rested her elbows on the table. She placed her chin in her hands and leant forward, while she smirked.

He smirked back, God, he did love this woman! He leant forward as well. His excitement too great to hide. "It's happened. I've finally got him! They've finally given him back!" Severus said as excitedly as it was possible in a near whisper.

She looked confused. "Sorry?"

"Seb! She gave him back!" Severus almost grinned. Julia Hall was a muggle. She knew nothing of Severus' real occupation or the world that he predominantly lived in. All she really knew about him that was not fabricated was that he had a younger brother names Silas, who he looked after, because both their parents were no longer around and that Severus had a five year old son name Sebastian that Severus was refused custody over. The rest were lies that Severus had constructed to fill in the missing pieces.

He had led her to believe that he had had a child with his high school girlfriend right out of school, which was true, and they really had split up and she really had married James two years later but Julia did not know that Lily and James had been dead for the past almost three years. Julia was under the impression that Severus' vindictive ex was withholding his child from him and that the courts approved of this action. Julia believed that Severus was a doctor with a private practice.

Which in a sense he was, Severus was a qualified medi-wizard and he had worked in a private medi-wizard's office in the summers when he had nothing better to do with himself. And was currently working there now.

Julia frowned. "Lily gave you Sebastian?"

Severus nodded, enthusiastically. "Yes."

"Just like that?" Julia looked sceptical. Julia was a lawyer and Severus had wondered why she had never offered to go over his case for him to see if she could somehow help Severus gain custody of the son that he so obviously missed but she never had, and he had never questioned it because it worked much better for his story if she stayed out of it.

"Well, she and James have had other children and she says she can no longer cope with four kids to look after. Sebastian is apparently too much of a handful so she has signed over full custody to me. She had always kept Seb more as revenge against me than actual desire to have him in her life. I always got the impression that she regretted me and everything that we once were and everything that came out of that relationship, and unfortunately that included Seb."

Severus felt terrible for having to talk about Lily in such a manner. But it was the truth in a sense. When Seb had been born Lily had come home from the hospital depressed, she didn't take to being a mother well. And two months later when Severus came home from work Lily had been gone and Seb had been screaming in his nursery, wet and hungry.

Severus hadn't bothered looking for Lily, she had left a note telling him that she couldn't do it anymore and had left her engagement ring behind.

Severus had spent the next months pouring his heart into raising his young son.

On Sebastian's first birthday Lily had come back, begging for forgiveness, to be let into her son's life again. She had gotten help from a healer and was overcoming her depression, and nineteen year old Severus saw no reason to limit Lily's access.

A year later Lily had married James and as soon as the pair had come back from their honeymoon Severus had been served with papers; Lily and James were filing for full custody of his son; his life.

They had won.

A year after that they had been murdered by Voldemort and Severus' son had been witness to it and had been almost a victim himself.

Severus shook his head to clear the morbid memories, and turned back to watch Julia. She had an odd expression on her face. She was smiling but her eyes were busy; thinking, analysing.

"Well, I'm happy for you then Severus." She said, warmly. But something felt off to Severus and he didn't know what. He shook it off as he did with anything odd when it came to Julia.

"Thank you. Desert?" He inquired.

She frowned for a moment and then shook her head. "Any more surprises?" She asked with what Severus could only define as hope.

"No." He said, confused.

She sighed and nodded to herself. "Then no, I think not tonight. I'm tired, and full." She smiled, even if it was a bit wan.

Severus nodded and stood, he helped her out of her chair and they walked over to the cloak room, they were handed their coats. Severus helped her on with hers. He pulled her hair out from under the black jacket and couldn't stop himself from inhaling the soft smell of apples. She let him for half a second and then turned around, with a lifted eye-brow. She didn't really like it when he did that, he knew, she said it always reminded her of a creepy character in a Charlie's Angels Movie and Severus had nodded in acceptance like he knew what she was talking about.

He shrugged on his coat and they stepped out into the late spring evening. He put his hands in his pockets and held his left arm out to her. She linked her arm through and rested her hands on his arm.

"Are you alright?" Severus said after a moment of silent walking.

"Hmm? Oh, yes I'm fine. I was just thinking. Will you be able to stay over tonight?" She said.

"If you want. Silas is watching Seb and he is not really expecting me home, and Seb was asleep before I left so he'll hardly notice that I haven't been home all night."

"Alright." She said.

They walked quietly for a little while longer until they reached her building. The doorman greeted them and they stepped into the elevator and rode it to the seventh floor.

Julia's apartment was rather large for just one person but it was class in essence and Severus felt that it was the perfect home for his partner to have.

She smiled at him and took his hand, she pulled him into the large bedroom and pushed him down on the bed. She straddled his lap, crossing her ankles behind his back.

She kissed him hard, and he met her just as eagerly.

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><p>When Severus awoke Julia was still sleeping. She was on her side, facing away from him and on the other end of the bed. She didn't like being held while she slept, she could have sex and sleep next to her bed partner but she hated to be touched while she was sleeping. Severus had thought it strange, but then again many of the things he did she thought strange as well and so he had let it pass.<p>

He got up and showered, dressing in clothes that he kept in a drawer in her bureau. When he had finished she was still sleeping. He moved over to the bed and kissed her forehead, and then her lips.

She woke up and crinkled her nose. "What time is it Severus?" She muttered.

"Just after six. I have to go, before Seb misses me." He kissed her forehead again.

She shook her head. "Alright. I'm tired. Let me sleep Severus. You could have just left a note." She mumbled before turning onto her other side and falling back to sleep.

He sighed and straightened up. Just as he was about to move away her heard her mumble again, "I do love you though." He smiled and left the building walking to a hidden alley behind it and apparated to a town house just on the outskirts of the inner city of London.

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><p>First chapter children! What do you think?<p>

Review and let me know, more reviews mean faster updates! Don't worry next chapter will have Seb and Silas in it, but you'll have to wait until the third chapter to get a chapter that is really about them!

So, to get there you know what you have to do. Review and it will come!

ahahahahaha

'kay thanks for reading guys!


	2. Pipes

**Chapter Two - Pipes**

Severus opened the front door carefully and shut it behind him just as slowly, making sure not to make a noise. He crept up the steps, into Sebastian's room. The little boy was on his back, arms and legs flung wide, chest rising slowly, black hair mussed. Severus grinned and moved into Silas' room.

The seventeen year old snored loudly in his castle of pillows. Severus chuckled and left for the kitchen where he began making a breakfast of pancakes for his little family.

After Severus had finally gained custody of Sebastian from the Dursleys he had decided that he no longer needed to be at Hogwarts. He wanted his son to have as happy a childhood as he could and he didn't think being surrounded by people knowing who he was and what he had done as a toddler would be entirely good for him.

Severus had given in his resignation and moved Silas and Sebastian into London, into a home of their very own. Seb had been ecstatic but it didn't compare to the absolute joy that was plastered over Silas' face.

For all his life Seb had known that he was loved and cared for and that someone would always be there to protect him, that in whatever convoluted sense he had a family. Silas however had never truly experienced that. Sure he'd had a mother, father and brother but by the time Silas had been born their mother was already quite frail and while she loved him deeply she was not what a child needed. She was weak both physically and mentally. After years of being beaten down by an abusive husband and trying to defend her son, Severus, from his attacks she had given up, and really was a shell of a woman.

Severus and Silas' father was not something that they mentioned often. He was far from an ideal husband and father and lived much more in the realm of abusive drunk.

Severus lost in thought didn't hear the soft patter of feet coming into the kitchen until he felt a small body slam into his legs.

"Dad! You're back!" Seb squealed.

Severus turned and lifted his son into his arms. "What do you mean?"

"You left, after you said goodnight. I woke up and you weren't here and Silas said you'd gone out. I tried to wait for you but you were gone a really long time." Seb cuddled into his father's chest.

Severus' heart clenched painfully, he knew he should have come home last night, but he hadn't seen Julia properly for over a month now and he had missed her and wanted to spend time with her. He realised now that that was no excuse, he should have been here for his son.

He and Julia had been seeing each other for a year now but during school time he hardly saw her; she always just assumed that work was hectic.

"I'm sorry Seb." Severus hugged his son to him for a moment longer before putting him down into a chair and placing a plate of blueberry pancakes in front of him.

"My favourite!" The boy cried and dug in eagerly.

Severus put a plate in the oven for Silas, the boy wouldn't be awake before noon and then sat across from Seb.

"We're interviewing tutors today Seb." Severus informed him.

"Oh." Seb said, to be fair Seb was actually much more excited about the prospect of having a tutor and beginning to start school, but he was too into his pancakes at the moment to be much interested in anything else.

After breakfast Seb went to get ready for the day and Severus tidied the downstairs. An hour later found Severus in the sitting room, interviewing a balding man wearing a tweed jacket and smelling heavily of cigar smoke while Seb sat in the corner quietly drawing and listening to the conversation.

"Previous employment?" Severus asked.

The man cleared his throat. "Teacher at an all-boys boarding school. St. Peter's."

"Reason for leaving that position?"

The man cleared his throat again and looked around awkwardly. "Fired."

Severus hadn't read the man's resume yet, the man, Mr. Feal had only brought it with him now. Severus looked up and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh well, they accused me of things that I never, ever did." The man said gruffly.

"And what would that be Mr. Feal?"

"A boy said that I slapped him when I assigned him a detention and he gave me cheek. But he made it sound much worse than what it really was."

Severus just nodded, "Of course."

Mr. Feal was told five minutes later that Severus would call him. Severus tore up his resume as soon as the door was closed and put it in the fire place.

There was a knock on the door just as Severus straightened from the hearth. Seb looked up to see who was at the door as Severus opened it.

Standing before Severus was an older woman, she must have been in her late thirties, early forties. She was rather short and quite plump around the edges. She had mousey brown coloured curls and soft blue eyes.

She smiled up at him. "Hello dear, I'm Eleanor Martin. I'm here for the tutoring position." She offered her hand, and Severus shook it gently.

"Yes, welcome Mrs. Martin, I'm Severus Snape." He opened the door for her and led her in. "And this is Sebastian, my son."

Seb looked up from his drawing and smiled at the woman. "Hello." He said, Severus was a little surprised, Seb wasn't usually so confident with strangers.

"Hello. Oh I see you're drawing. May I see?" She said as she settled herself on the couch, her legs next to Seb who was sitting on the floor so that he could press on the coffee table.

Seb lifted his pad up for her to see. He was drawing a picture of Silas sitting in a tree. The two had gone tree climbing yesterday afternoon and Seb had had the time of his life.

"Oh wow! That really is quite something. You're quite the talented little artist aren't you." She smiled and Seb beamed up at her before returning to his picture.

"So Mrs. Martin I was quite impressed with your resume." Severus settled himself in his arm chair, facing her. "But it was unclear why you left your last position." It was a question, even though it sounded like a statement.

She smiled. "Well the little girl grew up, and it was time to move on. They don't stay young forever, unfortunately. Before you know it your son will be leaving home and getting one of his own."

Severus smirked, "Not for a very long time." He said and she chuckled.

The two chatted for a time, until Silas came lumbering down the stairs, only in his boxers and half asleep.

Mrs. Martin laughed and Severus blushed. "My little brother." Was all he could say, the woman nodded, smiled and made her leave.

Silas was oblivious as he found his plate in the oven and began eating over the sink.

"Silas!" Severus yelled. Silas jumped out of his skin, waking up much faster than he ever had before and Severus could hear Seb giggling quietly behind him.

"What!" The boy shrieked.

"I'm conducting professional interviews here, and having you stumble around like a half-naked Neanderthal is nothing but embarrassing!"

Silas breathed deeply to calm down. "Is that all. Here I thought we were under attack. Just relax Severus, they're trying to get the job. Not you." Silas went back to his pancakes. Severus sighed muttering profanities under his breath.

There was another knock at the door and in Severus' preoccupied annoyance he flung the door open and glared at the woman on his doorstep.

She was of middling height and her long auburn hair was wet, and for that matter so were her clothes. The woman was absolutely drenched and she was breathing heavily. Her brown eyes wide with something like panic.

"Can I help you?" Severus asked, losing all the annoyance in a split second.

"YES!" The woman nearly shouted. "Oh my God! I'm sorry! My pipe burst!" She said.

Severus was confused. "Sorry?"

"My pipe damn you! My pipe, in my kitchen under the sink. I was unblocking it and it burst and now my kitchen is flooding! Please can you help me! My sister just left," and then suddenly she started whispering, "and I know you're a wizard. Please I'm a complete dunce at fixing spells." She pleaded.

Severus frowned. "Yes alright."

"Thank you Lord!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him across the street and through her already open front door. The house was clean, it looked lived in but clean. Nothing like his or Julia's homes where everything was completely ordered, this was, well, homey was all Severus could say.

He could see into the kitchen, and the water gushing out of the cupboard under the sink. He strode over to it and muttered _Restituo. _The pipe sealed back immediately and then he set about some drying charms for the floors, the woman helped with those.

When they had finished he looked at her. "What spell did you try to use to unblock the pipe?"

She sighed. "_Demolio_."

"Ah. Yes. That's too rough for an ordinary muggle pipe, something like _Expungo_ would have worked better." He said rather ungraciously.

She just nodded and gave him a small smile. "Thank you for coming to the rescue."

He sniffed. "Of course."

She frowned. "Sorry to keep you away from your busy schedule."

"No issue." Severus didn't miss the snideness of her response but chose not to comment on it.

"Well I appreciate it none the less." She said, moving towards the door.

"Good day, Miss..?" He said stepping out onto the front step.

"Charlie King. Good Morning Mr..?" She smirked.

"Severus Snape." He said, she laughed and closed the door.

It had been a quiet, soft laugh. The most carefree thing Severus had ever heard, it had been nice to listen to. He made his way across the street and closed the door behind him with a snap.

"What was that?" Silas said, now sitting on the floor next to Seb.

"The lady across the street is a witch, and she had problems with her plumbing."

"Lady? Sev a lady is a forty year old woman, long since married and past her prime, that _girl_ was barely _eighteen_." Silas smirked to himself.

Severus frowned. "Does it really matter?"

"To you I'm sure it does." Silas laughed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Severus glared menacingly at his little brother.

"Nothing at all." Silas stood, heading up the stairs.

"I _am_ in a relationship, you know." Severus growled.

"But you're not married are you?" Silas said before disappearing as he reached the upstairs landing. Severus growled and Seb giggled.

"Dad, are you getting married?" Seb said.

Severus whirled around. "What? No, where did you get an idea like that?"

"Well, Silas said last night that that's what he thought you were doing, proposing to Julia and he said now when you were out that if you hadn't last night you probably never would. Marry Julia that is."

Severus sighed. It clicked now. That's what Julia had been expecting last night, that's why she had seemed so confused by Severus' revelation, why she hadn't been as happy as he had hoped she would be.

"No Seb, I'm not getting married. Not any time soon anyway." Severus cleaned Silas' breakfast plate.

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><p>Okay, new chapter! How was it? Did you like it? Am I moving too fast do you think, should I slow it down a bit. I have the next couple chapters written already but I won't post them until I'm quite ahead in writing, so yeah, tell me whether you like it or not.<p>

Oh and I should probably warn you about Seb, he's going to seem a little strange to you for a while, like maybe he had bipolar or something but there's a reason for that so don't worry if he doesn't seem very consistent as a character at the moment.

Anywho, thanks for reading!

**LemonDropsWoolSocks**: Here you are then, I hope it's soon enough. I definitely like the begging, it makes me feel powerful! ahahaha ;)

**hani**: Really? Thanks, that's what I was going for, I'm glad it came across. BUT don't judge her too quickly, there may be deeper reasons for why she's acting the way she is.

**cara-tanaka**: Thank you for being a loyal reader and reviewer!

**Celestialuna**:ahahahah good guess! and thank you!


	3. Bored

**Chapter Three - Bored**

Seb was bored. He was so bored he couldn't be bothered going to find something to do. His dad had gone to work this morning, leaving Silas to watch over Seb. Silas was in his room, working on his summer homework and listening to teenage music that Seb's dad never let Silas play as loud as he was right now. The house was positively shaking with it.

Seb sighed, he didn't like being bored. He was always pretty good with entertaining himself, he had had to be at the Dursleys; they certainly never paid any attention to him. But Seb had been with his father and uncle almost constantly for the last two months, and now Severus had gone to his first day of work and Silas had decided he wanted to get his homework out of the way.

Seb wasn't scheduled to start with his tutor for two more whole weeks. Dad had asked Seb if he wanted to wait to start until the end of summer when Silas went back to Hogwarts but Seb was too anxious to wait any longer than he positively had to.

Seb got tired of sitting on the swing set in the back garden and meandered around the side of the house. There was no gate separating the back garden from the front garden and so Seb soon found himself in the front where Rocky lay sleeping on a stepping stone, soaking up the sun.

Seb shook his head; in his opinion Rocky slept too much but Dad had said that all cats slept that much. Seb had argued that Rocky wasn't a cat but a kitten. Dad had said Rocky must just have been an early developer. Silas had laughed and said that Dad was stupid and that Rocky was just a lazy bag of bones, which Seb had to admit he agreed with; the second part that is because he was pretty sure Dad was the smartest person there ever was.

Seb looked up when he heard something. Across the street in her front garden was the lady who had knocked on the door last week. She was kneeling in the bed of roses, tending to them. She was wearing old denim overalls and her long hair was tied up messily at the back of her head.

She was laughing and Seb found himself curious and before he knew it he had crossed the street and was moving across her lawn, coming to stand beside her.

She lifted her face when his shadow fell across her. She smiled. "Hello." Her voice was soft, almost like she was trying to be gentle.

"Hello." Seb said, trying to see why she had laughed. "I'm Seb." He held out his hand like he had seen Dad do.

"I'm Charlie." She took his hand and shook it. "Where did you come from?" She said.

Seb was confused, "My Dad said I came from the stalk but I think he was lying because I've seen women with big round bellies and when I asked Aunt Petunia about it she had said that they were carrying babies that would come out when the baby got big enough. So why would the stalk bring me if I was already there? Then I asked Silas how the baby got out of the woman and he told me magic, but that didn't really answer my question because even with magic you still know how the thing happens. Right?" Seb frowned.

She laughed. "I think you're probably right, and there just has to be a better explanation than that! So, I'm assuming that you live across the street?" She nodded towards Seb's house. Her hands still in the soil.

"Yes, we moved in two weeks ago. Dad said we should have a fresh start and begin everything again. He got a new job and everything. Silas said that he was even disappointed that he wouldn't be staying when it came time to go back to Hogwarts. He wanted to start fresh too, Dad said that if he really didn't want to go back he didn't have to and Dad would hire him a magical tutor like he's getting me, but mine's not a magical one just a muggle one. Silas said he'd think about it." Seb sat down in the grass next to her. "What are you doing?"

She smiled and turned back to the garden bed. She finished digging her little hole and took the small green shrub that was standing by her side in a plastic carton out of its casing and put it in the hole before re-covering it and watering it with her water can.

"I'm planting these shrubs on the edge of my rose bed, so that it'll look pretty, a nice contrast between the red and white of the roses and the green of the shrubbery. See?" She gestured to the row she'd already planted on the edge of the rose bed, just where it met the lawn. "What are you doing? Does your Dad know you're here?" She said, sitting back on her feet.

"Dad's gone to work, he started today. You see he used to be the potions teacher at Hogwarts but now he's going to be a medi-wizard at Dawson's Family Practice. Dad says one day he might have a practice of his own. Silas is upstairs in his room, doing homework, and Rocky is sleeping. Rocky always sleeps." Seb sighed and played with the grass.

She nodded. "Bored, huh?"

"Mhm." Seb agreed firmly.

She laughed, "Wanna help me plant the last of the shrubs."

Seb's whole face lit up, "Can I?"

"Of course. Here dig a hole right here like I just did." Seb followed her instructions.

He dug holes with his hands in the soft soil and then she slid the plant in, he would then cover the plant with the unearthed soil and she would water it. They made a very efficient team.

Two hours later they were both dirty and tired but the garden was done. It was nearing two in the afternoon.

They were lying back on the lawn, recovering from their hard work.

"Hungry?" Charlie asked suddenly.

Seb's stomach rumbled, he paused, embarrassed. Charlie laughed and Seb giggled.

"Okay, wait here I'll be right back with some lunch. Maybe you should go ask Silas if he's hungry." She stood up and ran into her house. Seb smiled and ran across the street and into his house, sprinting up the stairs and bursting through Silas' door.

Silas sprang from his chair by his desk, wand raised, breathing hard. He recognised Seb and deflated, with a shout of "Seb! You scared the hell out of me?"

"Really?" Seb seemed more excited than remorseful.

Silas took a few calming breaths, and that's when he noticed Seb's less than cleanly state. "What _have _you been doing?"

Seb's eyes widened with excitement. "I was bored and I saw that lady from last week. You know the one Dad helped?" At Silas' nod Seb continued his rambling. "And she was in her garden, I told her I was bored and she asked if I wanted to help so I did. It was so much fun Silas! And she's really, really nice! She's making lunch because I'm starved and asked if you wanted to come over for some too."

Silas looked thoughtful. "Seb, we don't really know her, and I think it would be best if you didn't talk to strangers." He said carefully.

"Silas, Charlie is not a stranger! Dad met her and everything! And anyway she's a good person."

"Huh?"

"She's a good person." Seb repeated like Silas was an idiot.

"No, I mean how do you know she's a good person?"

"Because I just do. Like I know that Mr. Feal is a bad man and that Mrs. Martin is a kind woman who is trying to do the best for everyone involved."

"Involved? What are you talking about? Involved in what?" Silas was shaking his head, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"For us and her husband. Duh! Now come eat, I'm hungry." Seb started moving down the hall.

"But Seb didn't you ever learn don't take candy from a stranger?" Silas followed him down the stairs.

"But I'm not. We're having food, not lollies and Charlie is not a stranger." Seb waited for Silas to close the front door behind him.

"What if she poisons it?" Silas asked, as they crossed the street.

"She won't, otherwise she wouldn't be a good person. Anyway you'd be able to taste it. Stop being mean. Charlie is nice. You'll see." Seb sat down on Charlie's lawn.

Silas looked uncomfortable, shifting his weight around from foot to foot.

"Oh, hello, I'm Charlie. You must be Silas?" Charlie came down the front steps carrying a tray of sandwiches and a pitcher of lemonade, with three glasses neatly alongside it. She put the tray in the grass next to where Seb was sitting indian-style.

Silas smiled shyly. "Yes, I'm Seb's uncle." He shook her hand and Charlie smiled with comprehension.

"Oh, so you must be Mr. Snape's brother." She sat down next to Seb and began pouring the lemonade, Seb grabbed a sandwich.

Silas considered for another moment before finally sitting down also, so that they made a triangle in the grass, the tray in between them.

"Yes, I am." Silas said.

Charlie handed Seb a glass and then gave one to Silas. "Help yourself to the sandwiches." She said motioning to Silas while grabbing one for herself and taking a healthy bite. Seb was slowly chewing over his.

Silas after a moment of indecision took a small bite of one. Immediately he was lost in the perfection of Charlie's sandwich making abilities.

Twenty minutes later the sandwiches were gone and the three of them were lying side by side on the grass making shapes out of the fluffy white clouds in the bright blue sky.

"That one looks like Dad when he's brewing!" Seb giggled. Silas and Charlie laughed.

"That looks like Rocky trying to sleep on Sev's shoulder again!" Silas pointed to a blob of cloud. They couldn't really see shapes anymore and were now just mentioning funny scenarios while pointing at random clouds.

"That looks like a canary driving a semi-trailer." Charlie said. There was an awkward quiet for a moment on the lawn, before all three burst out laughing.

"Seb, you really worked hard today didn't you?" Silas said once they got their laughter under control.

"Yeah…why?" Seb asked.

"Because I can smell it!" Silas laughed.

"HEY!" Seb got up and sat on Silas' stomach, Silas grunted. "That was mean." The two began to wrestle, unbeknownst to them Charlie had also risen, and they were soon rudely forced to realise their mistake. Charlie was standing over them, hose in her hand, other hand poised over the leaver to let out the jet of water that was just edging to be released.

As soon as the boys processed their situation Charlie released the water and cackled maniacally as she drenched them. Seb squealed and jumped off Seb and tore through the garden trying to find escape while Charlie chased him. Silas jumped off the ground and picked up the half empty watering can, he snuck behind Charlie who by now had cornered Seb and tipped the can up over her head.

She screamed in surprise before laughing and turning the hose on him. Ten minutes later they had turned the sprinklers on and were running through them like they were children again, well at least in the case of Charlie and Silas, Seb was a child.

Charlie, finally, pooped out from all the exertion collapsed on the ground, Seb collapsed on top of her, she grunted and laughed, picking him up and flipping them so that she was leaning over him, tickling the daylights out of him.

Silas stood by, laughing hysterically and Seb pleaded to him for help. "Shouldn't jump on a lady." Was all he said.

Charlie stopped suddenly and looked up at Silas with mock indignation. "Take that back! I am no lady!"

Silas laughed.

"Honestly! A lady is like a forty five maybe forty six year old woman who is married and like a billion years past her prime!" She said.

In his surprise Silas forgot his laughter. "Hey that's what I said! And then Severus said that it didn't matter."

Charlie mock frowned. "The cur! Of course it matters. Upon my word if you ever call me a lady I shall have to string you up by your toes."

"Lady!" Seb called. He was now standing on the edge of the lawn, having escaped while Silas and Charlie were talking.

"Ugh! That is it!" She stood up and chased after Seb all the way across the street and around Seb and Silas' house into their back garden where she promptly lost him. She paced carefully around the garden calling, "Seb, come out come out wherever you are. Don't worry Seb I won't hurt you. I just wanna have a chat. You know all civilised like." She had a smirk firmly implanted.

Seb tried to calm his breathing from where he hid up the lowest branch in the tree. Charlie was just passing under the tree now, and he just couldn't resist.

"BOO!" He yelled and she jumped ten feet in the air, yowling in surprise.

"Sebastian Snape! You'll be the death of me!" She said, and promptly dropped to the ground, feigning death. Silas came around the house then.

"Oh Merlin, Seb! You killed her!" Silas said coming to stand over Charlie. Silas looked up into the tree to see the grinning face of Seb watching them on the ground.

"Did not!" Seb laughed and watched as Charlie sat up and pushed on the back of Silas' knees, sending him sprawling on the ground. "See! Alive and kicking!" Seb laughed harder.

After pulling Silas down, Charlie immediately went back to being 'dead' and Silas followed her lead. Over Seb's laughter they didn't hear the car pull up in the driveway, or the footsteps coming around the side of the house.

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><p>TaDa! Chapter three ladies and gentlemen!<p>

This was a fun chapter to write, it seems to be about nothing but it's vitally important because it shows Charlie's true character more, instead of the sort of imitation of Severus that she pretends to be to Severus' face. She's really not very arrogant or judgemental that Severus can appear to be, she's just making fun of him when she acts that way.

So anyways, did you like it? Who on earth could have pulled up in front of the house? I'm sure you'll never guess... ahahahahaha

**cara-tanaka**: Here you are dear, you like?

**LemonDropsWoolSocks**: Hahaha well I can't say that I had really thought of Beyonce` but that song may have some bearing on what will happen in the story... was that a hint? OR was I trying to throw you off the trail? I suppose we'll never really know... Oh and yeah Silas at the moment is my comedy relief, he's my favorite character so far (probably because he's mine). Thanks! You like the play-date chapter with Charlie?

**EllaBethh**: Really? I didn't think I could find originality in such a widely written on base story, but thank you soooo much, it means a lot that I was able to find some in the dregs of my creativity! I'm glad you're liking it, it brings a smile to my face. :D


	4. Decisions

**Chapter Four: Decisions**

Severus stepped out of the BMW, he hadn't really wanted a car but if he was going to live in a muggle neighbourhood he had to make sure he looked the part. He had had a long day at work, and he'd left early, there being no patients left to see. It was only just four o'clock now.

At the sound of Seb laughing heartily Severus couldn't help but smile, he loved that sound and it bothered him that Seb didn't do it more often, but it was getting better, at least Seb smiled and giggled a lot more lately.

Severus realised the sound was coming from the back garden and decided it would be faster to go around the house than through it.

What he saw however was not really what he expected at all. At the back of the garden, Seb's head could be seen leaning out of the old oak tree, his face red with the laughter and the blood rushing to it from the half upside down position he was in.

But that wasn't the truly surprising thing. What was shocking was the two people lying on the grass under Seb's head. Silas was lying next to a woman with dark auburn hair, from Severus' position he couldn't see much else of her but he assumed it was the woman from across the street.

His suspicion was confirmed when she suddenly jumped up and pointed her finger at Seb. "I cannot believe that you would call me such a thing! And then scare me, so that I died for full two minutes! You should be extremely ashamed of yourself!" She said, if anything Seb laughed even harder so much so that Severus was afraid he was going to fall out the tree.

He noticed Silas moving then and before he could stop him Silas had pulled one of Charlie's legs out from under her and she unceremoniously fell to the ground, Severus was just about to rush in to apologize profusely to her when she started laughing, Silas was also laughing. Severus looked back up to Seb and couldn't help smirking at the almost purple face, Seb couldn't breathe he was laughing so hard.

Suddenly Seb looked up and stopped laughing immediately but he did smile and yelled, "Dad! You're home!" Seb jumped from the tree and barreled into him, luckily Severus had been prepared for that and had had his arms open.

"Hello son."

Seb sighed contentedly, rubbing his face against Severus' lower stomach, the boy was rather tall for his age. Severus patted his head.

Silas had stood up and helped Charlie up and they were now making their way over to them.

"Hey Sev."

"Hello Mr. Snape." Charlie greeted him politely, even though both she and Silas were grinning madly.

"Miss. King. Silas."

It was awkward for a moment before Charlie ended it with, "Well I've got to get going. Today was fun Seb, if you're bored again you're always welcome."

She ruffled Seb's hair as she passed him and waved to Severus and Silas. When Seb realised she was leaving he let go of Severus like he was a hot potato and ran after her.

"Wait! Stay for dinner!" He called. Severus was a little shocked that Seb would be presumptuous enough to just invite her over without even asking, but found that he was glad Seb had the confidence to be able to do that.

Charlie turned around and smiled brightly at him. "I would love to dear, but I have plans already as I'm sure your Dad has for you. How about another time? I'd love to make you some pizza?" She offered.

"Yes!" Seb agreed quickly.

She smiled, "I'll see you later my dear." And then Seb hugged her tightly and she hugged him back before turning around and walking to her home.

Later that night Severus was tucking Seb into bed. "Did you have a fun day?"

"Yeah! Charlie's great dad! I really like her."

Severus chuckled, "You sound like it was the best day of your life. Don't pressure her into playing with you though, I'm sure she has work to do."

"Na-uh." Seb said.

"Seb, it's no, not na-uh." Severus corrected.

Seb sighed, "No, she does not have work to do. She told me when I was helping her in the garden. She used to work as a herbologist at a mass producer of magical plants for two years, ever since she finished school but she didn't like it so she quit and she's looking for work. But she said that she wasn't too worried because she wanted to take some time out from the corporate world. Dad what's the corporate world?"

Severus sighed. "You know all the people who work in the big buildings and wear fancy suits to work every day?"

"Yeah." Seb nodded.

"Well all those people are a part of the corporate world."

"Are you a part of the corporate world?" Seb snuggled into his blankets.

"In a manner of speaking. Julia is more in it than I am."

"Oh." Seb sighed and began drifting off, Severus shut the door behind himself.

On his way down stairs to finish some reading he checked in on Silas who was lying on the floor of his bedroom, on his stomach, flicking through a magazine.

"Alright Si?" He said.

Silas looked up and grinned. "Just basking in the glory of being right."

"What?" Severus leaned against the door-jamb, crossing his arms and frowning.

"I was right about what the definition of a lady was. Charlie agreed with me."

"Oh did she now?" Severus smirked.

"Yep, that's why Seb was up the tree. She chased him there from her front garden for calling her a lady." Silas giggled softly, mindful of the sleeping Seb just across the hall.

Severus shook his head, this Charlie was turning out to be an odd woman, but there was no doubt she was magical. This morning he had left two moderately happy, but really quite down trodden boys at home but had come back to two euphoric boys who couldn't sit still or stop grinning.

Severus retired to the living room and cracked open his book just as the phone rang.

He stood up and answered it. "Hello, Snape residence."

"Severus, hello it's Julia."

"Julia!" Severus was surprise he wasn't expecting to hear from her so soon.

"Yes. Listen Severus, I need to see you. I'm coming over. I think we should talk. I'll be there in about ten minutes. I'm calling from the cab."

Severus was even more surprised. "Oh, what's wrong."

"Nothing. Everything is fine, I just think it's time we make some decisions about things. Look, we'll talk when I get there."

"Alright, see you in a bit."

"Yes, goodbye Severus." She hung up the phone and Severus tidied up slightly. Julia had never been here before but he'd given her the address for emergencies. Julia had never met Seb or Silas before, he wandered why she was suddenly just dropping by now, to talk about decisions.

He opened the door after the first knock. Julia stood on his doorstep, a cream trench coat covering up her dress completely, only her stockinged legs and heals left to be seen. He soft brown hair hanging straight down her back.

"Julia." He greeted.

"Hello Severus." He hugged her and kissed her softly, she smiled against his lips and pushed him gently backwards so that she could step over the threshold. She shut the door with her foot, still holding her lips to his. Severus grinned and hugged her tight, increasing the pace of the kiss before she placed her hands on his chest and pushed him away from her.

"No, I want to talk first." She said.

"Alright. Have a seat." He gestured to the sitting suite. She picked one arm chair and Severus took the other, sitting opposite her.

"Look Severus, we've been together for over a year now and we're not progressing in this relationship, we're not moving to the next level. Last week I thought you were going to propose, but you haven't even thought about marriage have you?"

Severus felt guilty as he shook his head.

"The thing is Severus I want more, I want to get married and settle down and be comfortable. I don't want to wait around forever for you to pop the question. I just want us to move forward, to find some sort of momentum in this relationship instead of just stagnating in a life of similar dates that always begin at the same restaurant and end in my bed. I want more than what you're giving me." She looked at her hands.

Severus choked. "I can't marry you. Not now. I mean I have Seb now and Silas and we're still adjusting. It's too soon."

She looked up at him sharply, surprised. "No, that's not what I meant. I understand that the timing is bad. I really do, I just want you to tell me, to promise me that this relationship is heading somewhere. That you do love me, and that you can see yourself married to me and living with me someday. I mean I don't even know if you're actually serious about me or not. I've never even been to your house before, or met your brother or your son; people who are huge parts of your life. You've shut me out of everything that means something to you; I feel like you don't actually want me or need me, just sort of like I'm convenient shag." She was looking at her hands again, and they were fiddling with the strap of her leather hand bag.

Severus had never seen her so vulnerable and he felt like absolute shit that he had caused her to feel this way about him. He got up and knelt down in front of her, taking her hands in his, stilling their motion and causing her to look up into his eyes.

"Julia, I love you. I really do. I'm sorry that I haven't shown you what you wanted to see, it just never occurred to me to. I'm really sorry, but of course I can see myself marrying you otherwise I wouldn't be in this relationship. I do want you to be a part of my life but we have to go slowly, I have a son and for his sake we can't afford to just rush into this." He lifted his hand and brushed her cheek. "Look, stay the night and tomorrow spend the morning with us, you can meet the boys. I only have to be at work after twelve."

She leant into his caressing hand, her eyes watery and smiled. "Thank you Sev." She whispered.

She hardly ever shortened his name, only when she was feeling small and like she needed Severus to take care of her which wasn't often.

He smiled back and kissed her softly. He stood up and pulled her up with him, leading her up the stairs and down the hall to his bedroom, he made sure to lock the door behind them.

* * *

><p>Oh dear Severus, you really have a one track mind...<p>

It's alright though, because next chapter we learn much more about Julia and why she is the way she is. But I will warn you now in advance that that chapter is the biggest reason for the M rating, there will not be much detail but the themes it deals with are quite heavy...

But anyway I hope you liked that chapter, I just couldn't resist updating early because usually as soon as I write a chapter I post it whereas in this story I'm trying to write ahead of you guys, like I'm currently writing chapter eight and I want to know your opinion on things that I've written but you haven't actually read it yet so it confuses me when you're so far behind.

Ah...oh well we'll get there in the end! I may just have to write and update faster...

**cara-tanaka**: How on earth could you guess! ahaha

**LemonDropsWoolSocks**: ahaha, you're kitten sounds adorable! We have a ragdoll (Lucy) and she just sleeps on my bed all day or tries to eat my face... haha any way, I'm glad you like Charlie I like her a lot too but she won't be such a very big roll for a while but she'll definitely have her day in the sun! I hope this chapter gave you your Severus fix.

**hani**: Haha I'm glad you liked chatty Seb, it was fun to write and I like how he can just babble it's such a non-Severus characteristic and yet Severus loves him for it anyway. Albus isn't too bad though, a little manipulative but he is human and he makes mistakes, probably more than we'd like him to considering the position and power he has but Albus fundamentally cares about the Snapes and wants to make their lives happy he just doesn't always know best like everyone assumes. So anyway Charlie and Silas are going to be the biggest comedy relief in the story so I hope they entertain you!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE if you read my story and it makes you smile or tugs a little string in your heart click the review button. You only have to write something small but reviews are my life source! (okay a little dramatic, but I like them) So please review me!


	5. Breakfast

Hello All! Sorry that this chapter is a little late, I haven't been home to post it, but here it is anyway!

Okay, so I have a major warning for this chapter, it makes reference to a past raping, and goes into a little detail but it's not graphic and the detail is only a sentence long, so you can skip it if you have to.

But other than that, enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Five - Breakfast<strong>

Severus awoke the next morning slowly, there was an odd feeling on his arm; it felt nice. As he came into further consciousness he realised something was brushing against the inside of his left arm, over the fading Dark Mark. His eyes sprang open onto an unlikely scene. Julia was lying on her stomach, right against him, trailing her fingers over his Mark. She didn't notice his wakefulness; she was trapped in a world of her own.

She apparently was aware however because after a few moments she said. "You know, I never thought about this tattoo before. I always thought it was rather odd, and to tell you the truth rather ugly but I didn't pay it any attention because I pinned it on youthful moments of complete idiocy. But this is something else that is a part of you and I never noticed before. You know I realise now it is my fault that I know nothing about you, I always felt like you should tell me. I don't know how to take an interest in you. I want to know and I want to be close to you. And I want to have that wonderful feeling that you read about in books when you wake up in the arms of the person you love. But I just, I just can't…It's too hard…It hurts too much…" Julia broke down sobbing then, burying her face in Severus' arm where her hand had been moments ago. "I'm sorry…I'm broken and I'm sorry!" She sobbed.

Severus was horrified. He moved her so that she was crying in his chest and he held her tight. "Hey, it's alright, it's alright. It's my fault as well, we've both been waiting for the other one to say or do something else. It's not all your fault. We'll be okay, we'll recover."

"No!" She sobbed. "You just don't understand!" She cried harder.

"What don't I understand?" Severus was confused.

She continued to sob, eventually she calmed down, he could still feel wetness on his chest but now at least she could breathe. "I have to tell you something." She whispered.

"Alright." He said, apprehensively.

"But…but I can't look at your face when I do." She confessed.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm afraid of…of what I'll see staring back at me. I don't want to see your disappointment in me." She said, quietly.

"You won't, because I'll never be disappointed in you."

She was quiet for a moment, "We'll see." She said at last. It was quiet again in the room. Severus rubbed soothing circles into her back and she traced patterns over his chest, her ear lying over his heart.

"When I was fifteen my parents took me skiing. We stayed in this luxury resort and it was so beautiful. I had never been before and so my parents hired me a skiing instructor. He was twenty-five and the most handsome man I'd ever seen. I had a crush, a huge crush from the moment I saw him and he knew it, he could see it." Silence then. "And he took advantage of it; of the trust I had in him. On our second last night he took me out to see the view from the top of the mountain at sunset. My parents knew about it and they allowed me to go, believing I was safe with the hired instructor. He, well we went up the mountain but instead of staying with the other people watching it he took me further into the trees that covered the top, and there was this shelter thing..." She stopped talking and Severus felt the tears begin to pour from her eyes again.

Severus couldn't breathe, he knew what was coming next and he didn't really want to hear it. He didn't want to know that this horrible thing had happened to his beautiful Julia. He didn't want to let her continue, but he knew he had to.

"And…and I, well I didn't mind because I liked him and I liked the idea of maybe kissing him. So he did, kiss me that is, but then as the sun began to go down he tried for more and I said no, that I wasn't ready for that. He had said alright, and I had leant back in his arms, so happy and content that I had such an understanding man in my life. We fell asleep not long after that, well, at least I did…" Her breathing hitched and she buried her face in Severus' chest. He stroked his hand through her long hair.

"I, he, when I woke up he was lying over me…he'd taken off my pants and he was in me and…It was so horrible…I kept trying to push him off and begging him to stop but he wouldn't." Her sobbing became uncontrollable then.

"Shhh, shhh, it's alright. It's alright. I'm here, you don't have to keep going. I understand." He soothed.

Eventually she calmed once again. "No, not yet." She said, taking a deep breath. "Afterwards he took me home and I never told my parents because I was ashamed; ashamed that I had been so foolish and weak. I never told anyone; instead I threw myself into my studies, working hard to be the best, to be completely untouchable, to be so that no one would ever dare to take advantage of me ever again; would ever even think about it. I found strength in myself. But along the way I forgot that humans are social beings." She paused.

"Severus, you've never met any of my friends because I don't have any. I have no one, except you. You know my parents died two years ago in the car crash. I have no one but you." She sobbed again. "I need to be in control all the time, because it's too hard otherwise, I can't trust anymore Severus. But, but you I trust you. I love you. I wanted you to know why sometimes when you touch me I feel sick to my stomach, why when I think about children I want to cry because I'm afraid of when they'll discover the world is mean and ugly and doesn't care about them. I want you to understand that I don't mean to be cold deliberately, it's just who I am now."

They were both quiet then. "I've never told anyone any of that." She whispered at last.

Severus sighed and tightened his hold on the woman in his arms. He had always seen her as this pillar of strength, this amazingly powerful woman. She wasn't, she was fragile and lonely and just wanted love. He had been right, she was a lot like him, just in more ways than he had ever realised.

"Thank you." He whispered at last. "Thank you for sharing with me and loving me. I love you, always, and you will always have me."

He felt her smile against his chest. She lifted her head and looked into his eyes. "You are the best man that I could have ever found. You were the right choice. When I ran into at the grocery store I just knew you were the one. After years of saying no to every single person who was ever remotely interested, I just knew that I needed you. I couldn't imagine walking out of that store and not having you in my life forever." She grinned and pressed her lips to his.

"Dad! Dad! Why's the door locked? Dad are you here? Dad! Please Daddy!" Seb cried outside the door and Severus groaned into the kiss. He rolled them over so that he was on top.

"Daddy! Please Daddy! Daddy!" Seb yelled, and Severus began pulling away. Sebastian began to sob, "Daddy, I'm sorry!" Severus was confused, what was wrong with his little boy? He sprung from the bed and flung the door open. Seb had been leaning his head on the door and so pitched forward, Severus caught the crying boy up in his arms. Seb buried his face in Severus' shoulder.

"I'm sorry." Seb kept repeating.

"Seb? Sorry for what?" Severus asked, bouncing slightly and running his hand through the baby-soft black locks.

"I don't know, for whatever I did to make you not want me. For locking me out, you've never done that before." The boy whispered.

Severus chuckled softly, "Seb, don't be silly. You've done nothing wrong, you're a good boy and I locked the door because I wanted to have a little privacy this morning. I'm sorry if it scared you." Severus cuddled the boy.

Seb hiccupped, then, "I'm hungry." Severus outright laughed and put his son on the ground.

"Go down, we'll be there in a minute." Severus shooed his son out, smacking his bottom lightly. Seb giggled and began to run down the hall before stopping abruptly and running back.

Severus was waiting for him. Seb looked up at the man and motioned for the man to come down to eye-level. Severus kneeled and Seb whispered in his ear. "Who's that in your bed Daddy?"

"Julia." Severus whispered back.

"Why is she in your bed?"

Severus was at a loss for a moment. "She, uh she wanted to have a sleep over."

Seb was quiet for a second before nodding at the apparently acceptable answer. "Is she coming to breakfast?"

"Yes. Is that alright?" Severus whispered back.

Seb nodded, emphatically. "Yes, she's a good person, a little sad but. Dad, I think she needs you." Seb said before running back down the hall.

Severus frowned, trying to understand his son. He straightened up and turned to see Julia staring at him from the bed, she was covering herself delicately with the blanket.

"What?" He said at last.

She shook her head. "Nothing, just interesting is all."

"Julia, don't distance yourself from me." Severus said softly coming towards her.

She paused, "No – I just need some time to adjust. You've never had a child before. Well, you have, but he was never here before, never a component in your life before. Anyway, I think you should go feed him. We can talk later. I'm just going to shower." She stood from the bed, and began walking to Severus' ensuite. "Oh damn!" She yelled.

"What?" Severus asked, he was watching her progress intently, and sounded a little distracted, she just smirked at that.

"I don't have any clothes here." She disappeared into the bathroom.

"Don't worry I'll find some and leave them on the bed for you." Severus called before picking up his wand from the bureau and transfiguring one of his dress shirts into a woman's style and shrinking it down. He also modified and feminised one of his pairs of trousers.

Severus found some sweat pants and pulled them over his boxers as well as a shirt before making his way down to cook bacon and eggs, while Sebastian drew at the kitchen table.

Ten minutes before it was ready Julia came down. Looking impeccable, like those really were her clothes, her heals clacked loudly on the kitchen tile.

Severus smiled at her. "Here can you watch the food for a minute, I just want to go wake Silas. If I leave him to do it on his own he won't be awake until hours after you leave."

Julia took the spatula a little reluctantly and counted the seconds until Severus would return.

"He likes you, you know." Seb said after a moment of silence.

"Sorry?" Julia wasn't sure what she had just heard.

"My dad, he loves you and he can help you. He's the right person to help you, you chose well. You may not always like what he does or the decisions he makes but he always makes them for the best of the people he cares most about, and that includes you." Seb continued to draw and Julia found herself wondering if it really was the almost six year old speaking to her.

"Okay." She said at last.

"You don't have to worry for me either, I already know this world. Better than you, I'd think." Seb said, and then the kitchen was quiet while Julia tried to understand the odd little boy drawing a picture of her holding hands with Severus, the child really was quite talented, most adults would not even be as proficient as he was.

* * *

><p>Severus bounded up the stairs and burst into Silas' room. Silas mumbled in his sleep and turned over. Severus jumped on top of Silas making the boy squeal in surprise. Severus laughed.<p>

"What? Severus! What the hell! Shit! Get off me! I'm sleeping here!" Silas yelled, angry at his disrupted sleep.

"No, we have a breakfast guest and you have to come down. So get up, get dressed and come down stairs! Now!" Severus jumped off the bed, tore the covers off Silas and unceremoniously dumped the boy out of his bed.

Silas grunted. "Oh my God! I hate you, you little shit!" Silas roared and sprung up from the floor, lunging at Severus. Severus fell to the ground while his little brother wrestled with him.

Eventually Severus ended up sitting on Silas' chest. "Now, what do you say to some breakfast?" Severus grinned, hair hanging crazily like he was a mad scientist.

Silas laughed at the imagery and pushed his brother off of him. He followed Severus down, forgetting to put clothes on.

When they reached the kitchen and Severus saw Julia's surprised look he spun around and frowned at the boy. "Will I never teach you to wear clothes? Must you always walk around half naked." Severus slapped him upside the head.

"Hey!" Silas rubbed the back of his head. "I forgot alright. Git!" Silas shoved Severus.

"That language is not acceptable in range of little ears." Severus answered slapping the boy upside the head again.

"Stop that will you." Silas shoved Severus harder.

"I didn't think Julia's ears were particularly little." Sebastian noted absently. The two brothers stopped shoving back and forth and Julia's confused and surprised expression shifted to the little boy. Silas and Severus broke out into laughter after a minute and Julia just watched the family, perplexed.

* * *

><p>Tada! Okay so I tried to make it a little light hearted at the end there because I didn't want to leave you all feeling depressed by Julia's revelations. And just to remind you that Sebastian is acting odd for a reason, which will be explained soon, the boy does not have a personality disorder so don't worry about that it will all make sense eventually.<p>

**cara-tanaka**: There you are, my dear!

**LemonDropsWoolSocks**: Haha well I'm glad I was able to prolong your life in aiding and abetting your serious Severus addiction! Ya, pizza night will be fun, just to give you a hint Silas meets someone, and he also begins to develop a bigger story-line that is his own, not just in connection to Sebastian's bigger story. I hope Julia's encounter with the Snape's was satisfying for you and I hope Silas was enough of an entertaining goof in this chapter as well... ahah, thanks for reading and enjoying my little old story so much.

Review if you liked it! Thanks!


	6. A New Development or Two

**Chapter Six - A New Development or Two**

Seb was sitting on the front lawn, leafing through the mathematics primer for grade one that Mrs. Martin had left with him. They had had their first lesson that morning and she had set a test for Seb to understand how far along he was with his education. Seb had finished in fifteen minutes and Mrs. Martin had been more than a little surprised.

She had asked Seb how long he had been reading, and he had said that he couldn't remember a time when he couldn't read. She had looked at him curiously but had moved on to asking him questions about when he learnt to count and do the math questions she had given him in the test. Seb had just shrugged and said that he just somehow knew.

Mrs. Martin had been flustered then and had said that she had no work prepared for Seb that would challenge him. She had left earlier than was scheduled but promised Seb she'd make it up to him tomorrow with things that would challenge him much more. Seb had said that he wouldn't mind doing easy things; he just so desperately wanted to do it.

Mrs. Martin had smiled kindly at Seb; she'd given him the maths primer so that he could entertain himself until she arrived the next morning with harder work for the small boy.

Now Seb was sitting on the lawn, watching the quiet house across the street and flipping through the primer, sullenly. He hadn't seen Charlie for a few days now; it seemed that she had found something to occupy her days with other than Seb and Seb couldn't help but feel left out.

Seb thought back to the morning after he had first played with Charlie. Julia had been there and she'd helped Dad make breakfast. She'd sat with them at the table and answered when the conversation turned to her but on the whole stayed mainly silent and watched the three Snapes talk and laugh. After breakfast she had washed the dishes, almost a little eagerly.

She'd left not long after that. She had said goodbye to Seb and Silas with a small smile and then Dad had walked her to the door. Silas and Seb had sneakily followed and hid behind the stairs, watching Dad say goodbye to Julia. Julia had kissed Dad full on the mouth and Seb had wondered why she would do such a thing but Dad didn't seem to mind, Silas had giggled like a little girl but Seb didn't think he should mention that for fear of harming the poor boy's pride.

When Dad had shut the door behind Julia Silas had wolf-whistled and Dad had chased Silas throughout the house until Silas finally made the mistake of running outside, Dad had locked all the doors and left Silas outside all morning until he went to work.

Even remembering that didn't make Seb want to smile, he was bored and the math primer was boring, it was too easy. Seb stopped leafing through it and dropped it by his side. He felt Rocky rub against his back and then the kitten walked around to sit on Seb's knee.

The kitten yawned and then curled into a small ball on Seb's knee, promptly falling asleep.

A car pulled up across the street and Seb grew excited, that was Charlie's car. He picked up the sleeping kitten, cradling him in his arms and then ran across the road, to meet Charlie as she got out of the car.

"Hey!" She said, ruffling his hair. "Aww! He's so cute!" Charlie stroked one gentle finger along Rocky's furry back.

When the other car doors opened Seb's head sprung up and he was surprised to see three other girls all standing in the drive-way.

The one who had hopped out of the passenger seat was a few inches shorter than Charlie but she looked older, her auburn hair was lighter and cut so that it just brushed her shoulders. Her brown eyes were lighter also than Charlie's deep chocolate brown. Her features were also slightly broader. She had to of been the sister Charlie always spoke of.

The girl behind the passenger seat was a little taller than Charlie's obvious sister. Her hair was deep ebony black, so black it was almost blue. Her eyes were bright sapphire blue and her complexion was fair and flawless but she looked young, quite a bit younger than Charlie.

The girl who was standing beside Seb was really just a girl, she couldn't have been older than eleven or twelve. She looked very similar to the ebony haired girl although her hair was much lighter, still dark and her eyes were a softer greyer colour.

Seb turned questioning eyes at Charlie who was grinning at him.

"Seb, this is my sister, Emily." Charlie motioned to the girl that Seb had already identified as her sister. "And these are Emily's stepchildren, Belle and Casey. Girls this is Seb, he lives across the street with his dad and uncle." Charlie was almost giggling, she seemed quite excited.

Seb knew; he knew that the girls were all _good_ people but he felt very shy all of a sudden with them all looking at him like that. He tried to discreetly hide himself behind Charlie.

Emily seemed to notice his discomfort, she gave him a little smile and then said, "Come on guys, let's go inside." And she walked into the house, her stepdaughters following swiftly behind.

Seb looked up at the smiling Charlie. "What's wrong Seb, bored?"

He nodded. Silas wasn't doing homework today but he was 'busy' apparently. Seb really didn't know what Silas did in his room by himself all day but he knew his Dad worried about it immensely and Seb thought it best not to say anything about it.

"Where's Silas?" She said.

"His room." Seb answered.

"Does he know you're here?" She asked, Seb shook his head and Charlie sighed. "Aren't you starting with you tutor today?"

"She went home; she didn't have any work for me that wasn't too easy; she said she'd be back with harder stuff tomorrow." Seb put the now awake Rocky on the ground who proceeded to chase a bee floating around Charlie's sun flowers.

"Wanna come inside? We're just about to have a late lunch." Charlie frowned at the sad face before her. Seb paused for a moment and then shook his head.

"No, I think I'll go home. Draw some." Seb sighed, and began to slink home.

"Seb!" Charlie called after him. He turned around. "You're always welcome here, you know that right? Even if my sister and her family are staying with me for a while. I'll always be here. Right?" She said.

Seb smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I know. Thank you." He said and walked home.

Charlie rubbed her face in frustration and resolved to have a conversation with one Mr. Snape the very next moment she saw him. Charlie went inside.

* * *

><p>Silas was lying on his bed, flat on his back, staring at the ceiling. He had yet to get up today, it was almost two in the afternoon. He knew that he should be getting up, he knew that he should be spending more time with Seb while Severus was at work but he couldn't bring himself to move, he was tired, so very tired he didn't think he'd be able to make it down stairs even if he tried, so he closed his eyes and drifted back to a light sleep, still awake enough to hear Seb's movements around the house.<p>

Seb took out the plate of leftovers his Dad had prepared him this morning for lunch, Dad had said that he wasn't sure if Silas would be up by the time that he would be hungry and so if he wasn't he should just go ahead and eat this. Seb had been hungry since twelve but he'd waited for Silas, hoping that Silas would come and spend the day with him.

* * *

><p>He sat on the floor in the living room, his plate resting on the coffee table before him and his drawing pad in his lap, he flicked through the pictures; studying them, wondering what the Dursleys were doing when he came across pictures of their house, of Seb's room, of Severus tucking Seb into that bed. There were no pictures of the Dursleys themselves; why would Seb use this means of escapism if he didn't actually escape from all that made him sad?<p>

* * *

><p>Severus came home earlier than he probably should have but he was worried about Silas and he was worried about Seb and he missed them. He knew he was acting like a soppy fool, but there was something wrong and Severus couldn't just dismiss it, he had to fix it, he had to make sure they were happy, he just had too.<p>

"Mr. Snape!" A voice angrily called to him as soon as he stepped out of the sleek black car. He turned around to face Charlie charging at him.

"Miss. King?" He frowned.

"You are a horrible father, you know that! Your kid is so bloody lonely and sad, and you don't even bloody care you just go to your job and come home, prancing your legs up to the sky girlfriend around him! What's wrong with you? Don't you have a sensible bone in your body?" The irate woman screamed at him.

Severus was angry in a flash, but his death glare did not cause her to back down. Unwilling to fight with an irrational woman in his drive way he turned around and stalked into the house, locking it as loudly as possible behind him.

"Daddy!" Seb yelled and slammed into Severus' stomach.

"Seb!" Severus smiled and hugged his son. "How's your day?"

"Mrs. Martin gave me a test but it was way too easy and then she said she didn't have anything worth my time because it would all be too easy. She says she's going to come back tomorrow with way harder stuff!" Seb complained.

Severus frowned and decided he would stay home the next day to have a conversation with Mrs Martin to properly understand what was going on.

Seb led Severus into the sitting room and pushed him down onto the couch. Seb then crawled up into the man's lap and curled into his chest. "I missed you, Daddy." Seb muttered, into the dark fabric of Severus' suit.

Severus sighed and carded his long fingers through Seb's thick dark hair. "I love you Seb." He whispered, placing a kiss to the top of Seb's head. They were quiet for a moment.

"Dad?" Seb whispered.

"Yes?" Severus said just as quietly.

"There's something wrong with Silas."

Severus frowned, "What do you mean?"

"He's, he's wrong. He's not how he should be. He doesn't feel right anymore. He's sad. But soon it'll be more than that. He's just a little down now, but soon it'll be too bad Dad." Seb confessed.

"How do you know that?" In truth, Severus had been suspecting it himself but he was too afraid to really admit it to himself, but he was surprised by Seb's apparent knowledge of it. His son was observant and intelligent for his age, but the boy was only five, well almost six, but a child nonetheless.

Seb sighed. "I just know. I can feel it. Like I feel everything else."

"What do you mean?"

"You know, like I felt about Julia being a good person and needing you and how I felt Charlie was important and that we need her in our lives. And how I felt that Rocky needed to be saved. I just know." Seb muttered.

Severus didn't know how to process this information; sure he knew his son was advanced beyond his years but he had never thought too deeply into that, never considered there could be more to Seb's intelligence. Severus decided he would have to do more tests to be certain but perhaps Seb had inherited a gift, maybe he was an empath or something of the sort.

"It's alright, I'll fix it." Severus finally soothed.

The boy snuggled his face further into Severus' chest. "Good, 'cause you have to do it. Only you can." Severus wasn't sure if this was a boyish belief in his father or perhaps an element to this new development in his son's magic.

"Really?" Severus said.

"Mhm, you have experience. You made mistakes then but you know to do it differently this time." Seb's little fingers played with his shirt's buttons. "I miss your robes, they had pretty buttons." Seb noted, absently.

Severus was overcome with emotion. Seb knew nothing about his mother's condition after his birth, Seb didn't even remember as far as Severus knew that his mother had ever abandoned him; so how could Seb know? What was going on with his little boy? Why did Seb sometimes sound so much older, older than even Severus? But then revert to a little boy who wished he had pretty buttons to play with and then who was so deeply insecure that when his father locked a door Seb thought he had been bad? Something was wrong, something was not happening as it should be and what had that Charlie woman been ranting to him about when he had got out of the car; something about Seb being neglected and sad and lonely. Seb was none of those things; well not since he'd left the Dursleys anyway. Seb was acting too oddly for it to be ignored, Severus had to do something but what he didn't know. He'd need to talk to someone about this. Maybe Albus would know, or maybe Lucius?

"Dad?" Seb call Severus out of his reverie.

"Mmm?"

"I like your robes better, I think you should wear them instead." Seb said.

Severus forced a chuckle and a soft smile for his son. He would have to think about this later, he didn't want to scare Seb. "Can't Seb. We're among muggles. It would be awfully suspicious if I walked around in Wizarding robes."

Seb huffed, "Oh, alright." Severus ruffled his son's hair.

"Seb?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you like living here?" Severus had to check, he'd thought Seb happy but Charlie had gotten into his mind.

Seb turned big green eyes up at his father and nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! It's the best!"

Severus smiled and gave Seb a quick squeeze. "Glad to hear it."

* * *

><p>So so so so so sorry I didn't update last week but you see the thing is I kind of forgot. I only have time to write and update on weekends, and write I did last weekend but it didn't occur to me that I actually had to put up a chapter here for you to read it until like tuesday and I haven't had a second spare to post it since then, so I'm really really sorry I made you all wait an extra weak. But just so you know I've written up to the tenth chapter now and I'll post the seventh chapter tonight as well after I've edited it again to make up for making you all wait a whole extra week for this one.<p>

Again I'm really sorry!

**LemonDropsWoolSocks:** Haha, sorry for making you wait, but here it is! And yeah I know Severus is just ingenious when it comes to the subtle art of torturing his little brother. :D Thank you so much though for loving this story, you should see my face right now, I'm grinning like crazy and blushing as red as the jumper I'm wearing! Thank you, I'm glad you like the story. It's one of my favorites to write too which would explain why I find it easy to write a chapter at least once a weak! ;)...Oh and yeah, you may be more right than you know about 'someone' across the street, but just which 'someone' would that be? haha!

**cara-tanaka**: Thank you, and here you are my dear!

**hani**: Sure, I liked showing you all more about Julia, everyone was like hating on her and I just felt so sorry for her because I knew the truth but no one else did because I had yet to show her true self and I just felt like putting her back away into the safety of my brain to protect her. She is distant but she's also extremely vulnerable and she is a good person, and I actually really do love her. Her story makes me so sad...Ah anyway sorry for that little detour there, but thank you so much for the review it means a lot.

**Mira SeverusSirius Black-Snape**: Well you certainly have quite the name don't you! haha it makes me laugh, it's cute! And I'm glad you love the story, but I'm not sure what you mean by the 'is Harry alive?" comment. If you're referring to the fact that he does not appear to be in the story then I'm assuming you haven't read the prequel 'Goodnight' and so haven't read the author comment there stating that Sebastian is in fact Harry. Or maybe you're guessing why Sebastian/Harry is acting so oddly? :) Either way let me know, and I'll try to iron out any confusion you may be experiencing! haha thank you for the review, it made me smile.

**Silvermane1**: Thank you

**Celestialuna:** Thanks love!


	7. A Day with the Malfoys

**Chapter Seven - A Day with the Malfoys**

Severus ripped the curtains open and pulled down the sheets. Silas groaned.

"You're getting up today. You've spent practically the whole of last week in bed. You're getting up, you're coming down and having breakfast with your family and then you're going to walk to the park with Sebastian and I." Severus stood with his hands on his hips, by Silas's head, peering down at him.

Silas squirmed and squinted up from under his arm at Severus. "What?" He croaked. "No, I'm tired. Leave me be." Silas turned around and tried to go back to sleep.

"No. You're getting up and you're moving. I will not have you go down the same path as she did. I will not have you hurt yourself. I don't know if this is the right way, but it's my way and you are going to follow through." Severus commanded.

"You can't make me." Silas mumbled.

Severus sighed and sat on the edge of Silas' bed. "Si, please just listen to me. I can't have this happen to you, I can't have you sink into this depression more than you already have. I can't lose you and I can't let you lose yourself. You're too important. I've seen this happen before and I ignored it, hoping it would go away. Hoping Lily would get over it, but she didn't until she attempted suicide. I found her Si; I found her lying on the bathroom floor, her wrists cut. The next week she'd disappeared. What was I supposed to do Si? She was gone, just gone. Maybe if I'd done something she wouldn't have left, maybe she'd still be alive. Maybe Seb would have a mother. Please just get up." Silas turned around to lie on his back and faced Severus, studying his face.

It was quiet for a long moment before Silas sighed and hesitantly shook his head.

"Don't even think about it, just get up and come down. Just do as I say. It'll be alright. I'll take care of you." Severus patted Silas' head and stood up. Silas followed.

Later, at breakfast Seb chatted happily to Silas about all the things that he had been waiting to do with Silas for so long, like running down to the park, climbing the trees, having a water fight and playing hide and seek. Silas could not help but feel guilty that he'd let the little boy down quite as much as he had.

Silas' guilty ruminations were interrupted however with a knock at the door. Severus frowned and went to answer it. Seb was instantly quiet and played with his bacon, he looked upset and Silas was unsure as to what had caused such a sudden change.

"What Seb?" Silas studied the boy carefully.

"We're not going to the park anymore." Seb said.

Silas frowned, "What do you mean?"

"Uncle Lucius is at the door."

"We can still go though Seb."

"But he'll want to talk to dad and we'll have to stay home." Seb turned watery eyes on Silas, and Silas gave him an encouraging smile.

"Don't worry Seb, I promise we will go to the park today." Seb gave Silas a small hopeful smile, Silas frowned again, "How do you know it's Uncle Lucius?"

Seb shrugged, "Just do, it's also Draco."

Silas decided again that he really did need to have a word with Severus about Seb's seemingly odd knowledge and understanding of the world and their own lives.

Severus came back into the kitchen with Lucius behind him and little Draco holding tightly to his father's jacket.

Severus sat down and motioned for Lucius to sit opposite the small kitchen table, Lucius did but Draco did not move into a chair to sit by himself, instead he stood closer to his father.

"Tea, Lucius?" Silas offered.

"Thank you, Silas." Lucius nodded. Silas retrieved another cup and sat back in his seat opposite Seb, Seb was watching Draco who was in between Lucius and Seb.

"Don't worry Draco, I haven't forgotten that we're friends." Seb said, breaking the silence in the room.

Draco turned to look at Seb with something akin to hope. "Sorry?" The little boy whispered.

"I remember that we played together at your home. We're still friends you don't have to worry. I still like you. Do you want some bacon?" Seb offered.

Draco grinned and sat in the empty chair beside Seb, taking a piece of bacon from Seb's plate.

"Thank you." Draco said.

Seb nodded. "I don't really like it that much, but I guess it's alright." Seb shrugged.

Silas couldn't stop himself from laughing; only Seb would finish an attempt at trying to reassure someone by foisting off food that he didn't want on them. Severus smirked and Lucius frowned in confusion.

"Silas, Lucius has come to talk some things over with me and we require some amount of privacy. I would be grateful if you would walk Seb and Draco down to the park." Severus said after a moment of Draco and Seb chattering happily to each other.

"Dad?" Seb turned his big green eyes on his father; Severus was bemused in seeing the brightness in them.

"What's wrong Seb?"

"You're not coming?" Seb's voice was small.

Severus sighed and shook his head. "Not this time, no."

Seb got off his chair and took hold of Severus' trousers on his lap, twisting them as the little boy pleaded with his eyes. "Please Daddy, I want you to come. Please come." A small tear escaped the boy's eye.

Severus was getting more and more confused and as a result more and more worried by Seb's behaviour. He would be a happy, normal five year old one minute, and then an insecure, completely dependent child the next and then a completely surreal sort of wise old man a second later. Something just was not right and Severus was even more grateful for Lucius' surprise visit; he really needed to figure out exactly what was going on.

Severus kissed the little boy's forehead and hugged him to his chest. "Of course I'll come, Seb." He carded his hands through his son's hair and scratched the back of his head softly so that Seb giggled and pulled away from Severus with a huge smile on his face.

"Come on Draco! Let's get ready!" Seb exclaimed before grabbing the other little boy's hand and tugging him up the stairs to Seb's bedroom.

Severus sighed and shook his head; standing up he cleared the table while Silas also left to get ready.

"Severus? What's going on?" Lucius said, his face blank but his voice showing a depth of concern for his surrogate brother.

Severus turned back to face Lucius, leaning against the sink. "The truth is I don't know. Something is wrong, very wrong with Seb and I have no idea what to do about it."

"What do you mean wrong?" Lucius frowned.

But the two small boys came running down the stairs again. "Ready!" Seb called as the two jumped around excitedly by the front door. Silas came running after them and opened the door.

The two younger boys took off at a run towards the park and Silas was hot on their heels, the two adults followed at a much more sedate pace; giving them enough privacy to talk and enough dignity to not be embarrassed.

Severus scowled at the horizon as he tried to tell Lucius the problem. "He, it's hard to explain Lucius. Seb on the whole acts and I believe is this normal, happy five year old that can't contain his excitement. But then he has these moments where I feel like I'm talking to an old soul trapped in a child's body. But what's really odd is what he says at those times, he talks to me about whether people are 'good' people or 'bad' people. It's like he knows people's characters before he has even met them. And then he seems to know what everyone else is feeling all the time. And he seems to understand so much more about everything than a child his age really should." Severus sighed. "I mean did I tell you about his muggle tutor I hired for him?"

Lucius shook his head. They'd reached the park and were now sitting on a bench while Silas pushed the boys on the swings.

"She came the first day and tested Seb, Seb finished the test within fifteen minutes with a perfect score. All the work that she had prepared for him was far too easy for him. So the next day she brought things from the third and fourth grade and just as something to keep Seb interested, and as more of a joke really, some seventh grade work." Severus watched Seb leap from his swing when it was on its highest point and land on his feet, arms in the air, bowing to no one before he ran back and had Silas start pushing him all over again.

"Seb did the tests from the third and fourth grade and then asked to try the seventh grade test. Mrs Martin gave it to him, and Seb did it. It took him most of the rest of the day but he did it, with a perfect score. I mean that just shouldn't be possible. Seb has never had any kind of tutelage before, a part from me reading to him and showing him how to recognise letters and write his own name but that's it. And then Sebastian has these moments like in the kitchen just now where he is so needy and dependant on me, like he thinks I'm going to just abandon him at any moment."

They were quiet for a moment. "He cries for me at night sometimes and when I go to him he won't stop crying until I climb into bed with him and hold him, and if I try to leave he wakes up and clings to me for dear life. Sometimes I wake up in the morning to find that Seb has come into my room in the night and is curled into my chest, tear tracks on his face." Severus sighed again. "Something is wrong Luc, something is wrong with my little boy and I just don't know what it is. let alone what to do about it."

"Have you considered that Seb may be an empath?" Lucius suggested carefully.

Severus nodded, "Yes, I have but it's more than just sensing people's emotions and feelings he seems to have the knowledge behind those feelings. If he is empathic it is at a much higher level than recorded in the history books."

The two men watched as their children chased Silas around the park before tackling the boy and sitting on him.

"I will look into this Severus. Give me a few days and I'll come back with an answer for you." Lucius said at last.

Severus turned to him. "Thank you." He gave him a small smile and Lucius nodded, reciprocating the smile.

The children ran around for another hour before they decided they wanted to go home and draw in Seb's drawing pads.

The group trudged home where Silas lounged in an arm-chair reading a book, the two children sat by the coffee table drawing and babbling and Severus and Lucius locked themselves in Severus' study to finish their discussions.

The two men talked about their business ventures, Albus' needless monitoring of Lucius and Severus' career change.

At lunch time the two men returned to the others and they ate ham sandwiches in the living room. Not long after, there was a knock at the door.

"It's Charlie!" Seb called, more excited than he had been yet that day which was a pretty impressive feet. "Can we dad?" Seb looked at Severus.

Severus frowned. "Can we what, Seb?"

"Go over to Charlie's house for dinner?" Seb stood up from the table and ran to the door, Severus following him.

"I don't understand." Severus said, opening the door and was more surprised than he really should have been to see Charlie King on his doorstep, wearing clothes that looked older than she herself was and were absolutely covered in paint.

"I'm sure there are a great many things that you don't understand but I would hope that someone knocking on you door would be fairly comprehensible to you." Charlie smiled at Severus, and gave Seb a wink who promptly launched himself at her, she wasn't expecting it and had to take a few steps back to regain her balance.

"Excuse me?" Severus couldn't believe what he was hearing, Charlie laughed.

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist. It was a joke." Charlie smiled. "But you're right I didn't come here for jokes. I came to invite Seb and Silas and I suppose your indomitable self to dinner, for the pizza I promised Seb." She grinned, and Seb whooped.

Severus smirked. "I'm sorry Miss King, but Seb we have guests." Severus motioned to Lucius and Draco who could be clearly seen sitting in the sitting room from the front door. Charlie peered in and smiled at the little, terrified blond boy.

"Well, they're more than welcome also." Charlie said.

"Please dad!" Seb whined.

Severus grimaced. "Stop that Sebastian."

Seb's shoulders sagged but he nodded his head. "Dad can we please got and have pizza with Charlie?" Seb asked in a much more polite tone.

Severus sighed and turned to Lucius. "Would you mind?"

Lucius was smirking and Severus was not sure if he liked the giggling Silas was doing or the sneaky glances Lucius and Silas were sharing. "Of course not. I'll be most intrigued to spend some time with your charming neighbour."

Charlie smirked. "I'm sure. Well, I'll see you at five. Don't be too late. Bye Seb." Charlie patted the boy's head and walked down the path.

* * *

><p>Okay, there you are, my peace offering for making you all wait... Again really sorry about that!<p> 


	8. Pizza Love

**Chapter Eight - Pizza Love**

At exactly five o'clock Severus knocked on the front door of the house across the street. Seb was beside him, bouncing on the balls of his feet and Draco was clinging to his arm, terrified. Silas stood behind them, smirk firmly in place. Lucius brought up the rear, face blank and set like marble but his insides were smirking right along with Silas.

The door swung open to reveal a very pretty girl who couldn't have been older than twelve, and Severus almost took a surprised step backwards, but the dour man caught himself in time.

The girl gave them all a shy smile. "Hello, I'm Casey. Charlie and everyone's outside already." Severus frowned as he seemed to be doing a lot lately and Casey opened the door wider for them to enter. She led them through the house and then outside onto the patio. There was a large wooden table and a brick, wood fired pizza oven was built into a bench where Charlie was standing with another woman preparing pizzas.

A man with hair so short it was just dark fuzz was loading wood into the oven. He turned around at the sound of the sliding door and smiled at the party. His eyes were light brown and his smile was soft. He was as tall as Severus and just as broad, he proudly wore a four o'clock shadow on his face.

"Hello." The man stepped forward, hand raised towards Severus. "I'm Nick. Emily's husband." Severus shook his hand, wearily.

"Emily?" He asked.

Nick frowned and then he smiled as realisation dawned. "Oh, I see you haven't met her either. Right, well I'll do the introductions then, shall I?"

"Can you now Nick, do you even know who they are or where they come from and how I know them?" Charlie asked as she turned around from the counter, to smirk at the man.

He gave her a sarcastic smile, "Of course, oh supreme source of knowledge, do please impart to us the truth of our assembly here this fine evening."

"Gladly." She returned, he playfully ruffled her hair and she punched him in the arm.

"Hey! That hurt! Emily she hurt me!" Nick said in mock outrage.

"Mhm." Emily didn't even look up from her pizza making. Charlie smirked triumphantly at his wounded look.

"Anyway." She turned and winked at Seb who giggled and then ran over and hugged her. "Hello Seb!" She hollered and the little boy laughed. She looked up at the very uncomfortable looking Severus, Lucius and Draco. Silas was already lounged across one of the table chairs, munching on a cracker.

"Hello, Severus, Silas and company this is my lovely and demure older sibling Emily Ryder. Her annoyingly childish husband Nick and their youngest daughter Casey!" Charlie spoke as if she was hosting a game show. Severus just barely kept himself from rolling his eyes.

"And Belle will be here soon, but she's at a friend's place at the moment. Now that you've met my people let me introduce you." She smiled at her sister and brother-in-law. "This is Severus Snape, he lives across the street. The leech here is Sebastian, his son." She grinned at the boy's giggle, who by the way was still firmly attached to her. "And the lay-about over there is Silas, Mr Snape's brother! Oh and I'm not sure about the other two, friends of Snape's though." She smirked at Severus' annoyed expression.

"My brother Lucius and his son Draco." Severus just barely kept himself from spitting out.

"Hey, hey, keep your hair on." Charlie laughed. "Really, he doesn't look much like you?"

Seb laughed and ran back to his father, with his arms in the air. Severus promptly placed the boy on his hip.

"Not his real brother!" Seb called.

Charlie smiled at the little boy. "Ah! I see! Well come in, come in, don't stand by the door like rubbish waiting to go out on a Tuesday morning! Come have a seat at the table, help yourself to the snacks, dinner will be ready in half an hour."

She motioned to the table and they all took their seats. Draco sat in Lucius' lap, Seb in Severus' and the two men sat next to each other.

Seb pulled the nervous Draco into excited chatter within seconds and that left Lucius and Severus to entertain themselves, Silas was already laughing with Charlie while Nick was preparing pizzas with Emily.

"Drink Severus, Lucius? We have everything. Wine, beer, soda, juice, water?" Emily offered a moment later.

"Just juice thank you." Severus said, Lucius nodded in agreement.

"Alright, and what about you Seb, and Draco?" Emily smiled at the two boys. Draco hid in Lucius' chest.

"Dad can I have a soda?" Seb asked, Severus nodded and Seb turned back to Emily. "May I please have a soda?"

"Yes, of course."

"Draco wants one too." Seb said then, Emily looked puzzled for a moment before nodding and walking away.

"You're a douche Si!" Charlie hollered.

"Am not! I'm incredibly funny admit it!" Silas called back.

Severus wondered why his brother had to be such a dunderhead. Wondered why if he managed to act with dignity Silas could not. Silas was like a bloody twelve year old, for goodness' sake.

"Silas is happy!" Seb whispered harshly in Severus' ear. "That's what's important."

Severus met his son's eye with worry and then glanced to Lucius to see if he had heard and it appeared he had by Lucius' concentrative gaze.

"Alright, Seb." Severus nodded, kissing the boy's forehead. Seb smiled and went back to chatting with Draco.

"Um, here you are." Severus looked up to see who had addressed him. A beautiful girl with black hair and bright blue eyes was smiling shyly at him. She couldn't have been older than sixteen. She placed a tray on the table before setting a glass of juice and soda before each man.

"Thank you." Severus said.

"Oh, I'm Belle." She smiled and then moved to Charlie and Silas, Charlie had called her over.

Casey was sitting by the pond further in the garden with a small Jack Russel dog who was absolutely mesmerised by the fish swimming around.

"Belle! Belle! Belle come here and meet Silas!" Charlie called.

Belle made her way to her immature aunt and the strange boy from across the street. Over the past weeks she had seen glimpses of the boy. She had obviously found the striking boy quite attractive but Belle herself was shy and she did not think that the handsome boy would have any reason to be interested in her; she was too quiet, too introspective for the tastes of most boys their age.

"Belle, this is Silas. Silas my niece, Belle." Charlie introduced before conspicuously edging back to talk to Severus and Lucius and their sons.

Silas, to Belle's confusion blushed and gave her a small smile. "Hello." He said at last.

Belle returned the smile, "Hello."

"Hey, hey Snape would you look at that!" Charlie stage whispered to Severus as she came to stand next to the two seated men.

"What?" Severus turned his head to look up at her.

"Look!" Charlie insisted and gestured with her chin to the two awkward teenagers interacting with each other. Severus raised an eyebrow at Silas' flushed cheeks and mumbling. Charlie sighed dramatically. "Ah! Young love!"

Severus was distracted from replying when Seb wriggled from his lap pulling Draco along with him and running onto the grass, to stop and stand by the pond and converse with Casey.

"Yes, well. I'd say that you planned this somehow." Severus murmured, watching Silas ask Belle to sit down at the table with him.

"Frankly, I'm quite offended that you would insinuate such an underhanded sneaky tactic on my part. Quite offended indeed." Charlie huffed, before giving Lucius a sly smile and sauntering off to the pizza oven where Nick was placing in the first pizza.

"That woman is rather charming, in a completely plebeian manner of speaking, of course." Lucius noted absently, nursing his glass of orange juice.

Severus turned calculating eyes on his brother. "Well, here I thought you were happily married to Narcissa. Looking outside of the marriage bed already Lucius. Now honestly, and here I thought better of you."

Lucius chuckled, "I wasn't noting her attributes for my benefit Severus."

Severus' eyes narrowed. "You better be trying to arrange a marriage for Draco then, Lucius, because I am not going to have this conversation with you."

"What conversation would that be?" Lucius said almost distractedly as he watched the three younger children now engaging in a game of hide and seek.

"The conversation that Silas has been trying to have with me since we met the bloody woman and Seb fell in love with her. I'm not interested in her, at all. I have a partner, who I am more than happy with. Now leave it the bloody hell alone. I want Julia." Severus said in soft dangerous tones.

Lucius turned to his brother and nodded his head slightly in acquiescence. Severus sighed and turned to see Silas and Belle now sharing the first pizza. Lord! He did not want to have to deal with hormonal teenagers! Curse that bloody Charlie! He'd now have to keep extra watch over Silas to ensure the foolish boy didn't overstep in terms of propriety too soon.

"Calm down, they're sharing a pizza, not having sex on the bloody table." Lucius snorted in his drink, making horrible undignified gagging noises, as Charlie smirked evilly from the position behind the men.

"Thank you very much." Severus growled, shaking out his hand where some of Lucius' spat out drink had landed.

Charlie laughed heartily. "Anytime dear Snape. Anytime."

"Now, now, are you being rude dear sister?" Nick came up to her and threw his arm around her shoulders.

"Not nearly as rude as your face!" Charlie retorted, throwing off the arm and turning to face to the man so that she could see his mock hurt expression.

"What?" Nick raised his hands to his face, feeling around as if checking to make sure what he looked like. "What happened to my face?" The man hollered. "Emily what happened to my face?" Emily did not even turn from her food preparation. "No! My one beauty!" The man cried, before crumpling to the ground and weeping dramatically into his hands.

"Yes, well that'll teach you to be vain!" Charlie couldn't hold back her laughter and fell onto a chair hiccupping with the force of her mirth.

"DAD!" An anguished cry ripped from the throat of a young girl pulled the whole gathered party to attention and Nick immediately stood and ran out onto the lawn and around the corner of the house to where the children had disappeared to, Severus and Lucius right behind him, and everyone else not far behind.

Casey was sitting on the grass, against the fence, he legs akimbo, her face distraught and breathing heavily. Draco was cowering into her side, shaking like he was experiencing his own personal earthquake.

Seb, however, was a few metres in front of them, lying on his stomach, face in his hands and conversing happily, with a snake.

A deep green, metre and a half long snake was curled up, mere inches from Seb's face and hissing at the little boy, who was hissing right back with a soft smile gracing his features.

The whole rescue party came to a halt. Everyone was completely silent, as they listened to Seb.

"Seb?" Severus at last broke the silence with the cautiously spoken name.

Seb turned such a blindingly happy smile to his father that Severus could not help but feel put at ease even though he'd just seen his son displaying a gift for parseltongue.

Seb hissed at Severus but at Severus' confused look Seb shook his head amusedly and tried again. "Hey Dad, it's alright. Astarte's my familiar." Seb smiled.

Severus choked, "Pardon?"

"Astarte, she asked if I wanted her as my familiar and I said yes. Is that okay?" Seb frowned slightly.

"You already have a familiar. Rocky…" Severus knew he was spluttering but he couldn't help himself.

"Can't you have more than one? Is there a rule?" Seb looked confused.

Severus shook his head. "No. It's just not very common. But she's your familiar?"

Seb grinned. "Yes! Isn't she beautiful?" Seb reverently stroked the scales and the snake seemed to lean into the little boy's touch.

"Yes." Severus agreed tonelessly.

By this time everyone else had more or less shaken themselves out of their own shock Lucius had already moved over to his son and the little boy was now buried in his father's chest, while Nick had helped his daughter up and was holding her closely to his side, stroking his hand through her hair.

Severus turned around to see Emily and Belle holding hands, looking terrified. Silas was standing to his left, worry etched onto his face. Charlie was to his right, she didn't appear to be particularly worried or scared just curious. Severus rolled his eyes, he didn't know why he'd expected her to have any other kind of reaction. Foolish, really.

"Severus, I think it's time for us to go home. I'll be back in a couple days with more information." Lucius said then, coming over to talk to Severus.

"Yes, of course. I'm sorry." Severus motioned to the terrified boy in Lucius' arms.

"It's alright. Draco will be alright. He's safe now."

"Wait!" Seb sprung up and ran to the others. "I'm sorry I scared you Draco. But it's alright. I promise. You'll see." Seb offered a timid smile to Draco who was peering down at him. The little blonde boy nodded before burying his face in Lucius' shoulder once again.

"Goodbye Sebastian, Silas, Severus. Thank you for a lovely evening." Lucius addressed Charlie and her family before walking back around the house and presumably through it once more and out the front door.

"Dad?" Seb tugged on Severus' hand. Severus broke out of his reverie and looked down at the distraught little boy. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare anyone." The boy looked on the verge of tears and Severus offered his son a comforting smile before reaching down and perching the boy on his hip.

"It's alright Seb, I know. It's fine, don't worry about it." Severus ruffled the boy's hair and Seb just gave him a tremulous smile before resting his head on Severus' shoulder and letting out a wide yawn.

"'M tired." The boy mumbled, and then promptly fell asleep.

"What?" Severus frowned, it was barely six thirty. How could Seb be this tired already? Severus' paternal instincts made him believe that this had something to do with the possible empath abilities his son seemed to possess. "Oh dear." Severus sighed and pulled the boy tighter to him, ensuring he was comfortable enough in his arms. "We'd better go." Severus said louder. "I apologize for tonight." Severus looked at everyone else who had now calmed down.

Silas and Belle seemed to be holding hands but Severus couldn't really tell from the angle. Emily and Nick were making Casey laugh and Charlie had picked up the snake which was now travelling lazily around her shoulders, Severus sighed, this woman really was just too much.

"I'll walk you home. Silas, stay and finish your dinner." Charlie offered, Silas flashed her a bright smile before disappearing back to the patio with Belle, Nick following closely behind, Severus smirked.

Emily and Casey walked back also, leaving just Charlie, Severus and the sleeping Sebastian.

"Well that was interesting." Charlie remarked.

"Indeed." Severus responded and began walking, Charlie keeping pace with him. They walked in silence until they reached Severus' front door. Charlie opened it up for him and to Severus' annoyance let herself in and closed the door behind her.

Severus shook his head at her, she gave him a suspiciously coy smile and followed him up the stairs to Seb's bedroom. She stood by the door and watched as Severus put his little boy in bed, after redressing him.

The snake slithered off Charlie and moved to lay curled up on Seb' feet. Rocky appeared from wherever the cat had spent his evening thus far and curled into Seb's chest.

Severus shook his head; he knew this was just the beginning. He could imagine Seb's bed in ten years, completely covered in every kind of animal possible to be held as a familiar.

Charlie followed him again downstairs.

"While you're here I may as well speak to you about your accusations about my parenting skills." Severus motioned to the seats in the living room, Charlie took one arm chair and Severus the other.

"What did you mean?" Severus asked, he sounded and looked completely impassive but the man was beyond annoyed.

Charlie smirked. "I meant that Seb was looking depressed because he was lonely. You aren't home during the day when he needs you and then when you come home to him you bring in any number of floozies."

Severus spluttered, "Pardon? What floozies?"

Charlie frowned, "Floozies like the one who turned up at your door in the middle of the night, and didn't leave until the next morning!" Charlie accused.

Severus' face deepened into a scowl. "That floozy, is my partner, we've been together for a year. She is not a passing affair and I can't believe you would think that I would just sleep around and bring home whores to meet my son and brother. You are a prejudiced judgemental busy body and you should keep out of my family's business! Get out of my house!" Severus yelled and motioned to the door.

Charlie looked hurt but stood up and let herself out.

* * *

><p>Oh dear, well that was a little bit confronting now wasn't it.<p>

A prize to anyone who figures out what Astarte is the goddess of and can guess how she will influence the lives of dear Severus and those closest to him.

**Mira SeverusSirius Black-Snape**: Glad to hear it!

**cara-tanaka**: Soon enough for you dear? ;D

**LemonDropsWoolSocks**: Haha thanks, I especially love to hear that my Severus is different and better because he is more fun! I hope this chapter finally answered your need for a pizza dinner! It was fun to write even though it may seem a little random, but oh well... the end part was important though... now you have to wonder if that's a hint for the story's plot...

**Celestialuna**: Thank you my dear!

**Petuniac3**: Aww thanks. ;)

**Silvermane1**: I'm glad you like it!

Please review because I work hard on this story and reviews really do encourage me to keep going. Thanks to anyone who has read my story so far and enjoyed it.


	9. Some Fun and Excitement

**Chapter Nine - Some Fun and Excitement**

"Mr Snape, this is well beyond my comprehension. I just don't understand. I realise of course that it is entirely possible that your son is just a bright boy, but this surpasses all levels of comprehensibility. It seems that your son does not need school. School is only the foundational unit for further study and understanding but your son already has all the foundations. I just don't know how that's possible." Mrs Martin was flustered. She had never felt quite so inept before and the normally even-tempered woman was bordering on hysterics.

"It's alright Mrs Martin, calm yourself. Seb is a rather intelligent boy, I know, I don't blame you at all for being out of your element. But is there nothing more you could teach him?" Severus truly hoped there was, it had only been three weeks and Severus didn't feel like having to find another tutor. Mrs Martin was kind, intelligent and loved Seb and more importantly Seb loved her.

While Sebastian innately knew when people had good hearts or bad hearts, he was still a very impressionable little boy who could just as easily love someone with a bad heart as he could hate someone with a good heart.

Severus was beginning to believe that that was what had happened with Charlie.

Mrs Martin thought for a moment before speaking, "Well, you see, Seb has all the foundations, he can understand anything if you give him enough time. I suppose I could help him to shape his understandings. I could of course give him work that would relate more deeply to concepts and understandings of the world than just book knowledge. I could even further book knowledge, teach him other languages. I myself am fluent in Latin, Ancient Greek, Italian, French and Spanish. If that's not enough I'll just have to teach myself more languages." The woman was speaking more to herself than Severus.

"That sounds excellent. I would like Seb to learn other languages most definitely but I think most importantly Latin. I believe you're right in giving Seb a wider knowledge of the world, rather than just understanding maths and science and history. Perhaps you could speak to him about philosophers and perhaps a high school English course would also be beneficial. After all, English is less about learning how to do something and more about understanding new ways of looking at things and people."

Mrs Martin smiled, apparently relieved. All was right with the world; she could still teach something to a five year old. "Yes, I think so too. Thank you so very much Mr Snape. I'll come back tomorrow with a new course outline and if it is agreeable we will start right then." Mrs Martin stood and Severus showed her to the door.

"That sounds marvellous. I apologise for the undue stress, but your efforts are most appreciated. Thank you Mrs Martin." And Severus closed the door as the woman walked easily down the garden path, as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

Silas was across the street, with Belle. He'd been there almost constantly since that stupid pizza night two weeks ago. That night still had Severus seething. He hadn't seen hide nor tail of Charlie since then and Silas and Seb hadn't brought her up either, intuitively knowing that Severus wished that she was rather on the other side of the world than just across the street at the moment.

The fact that Sebastian was a parselmouth still continued to shock Severus. It wasn't that he thought his son was dark or that he had any kind of disposition to being dark, it was just shocking. Severus had never even heard it spoken before and it was weird to hear something that he'd only ever read about, weird to see such blatant use of something that was supposedly extremely rare and practically unheard of; but he was adjusting, and Seb seemed extremely happy with Astarte and Rocky who had somehow formed a relationship. Rocky would sleep out on the paving stones in the front yard with the snake wrapped securely around him. Severus found that sight slightly disconcerting but Seb thought it was cute and Silas had just choked when he had first seen it and had run across the street to no doubt tell Belle all about it.

Currently, Sebastian was at the Malfoy's visiting with Draco. Draco had been reluctant to visit again, with the snake in the house so Severus had allowed Seb to go see Draco and spend the night. Sebastian would only be home the next afternoon, when Lucius would bring him home and discuss his findings.

Lucius had been diligently searching for any information on what Seb was going through, but he had no success until apparently last night and the man seemed most secretive of his discovery, which could only mean that he was terribly excited but Malfoy austerity called for a little more dignity than jumping around the house like a two year old who had consumed too much red cordial; in other words Lucius was too proud to behave like Silas normally did. Severus chuckled at his own private joke; making fun of his brother was just as fun in his head as it was to say it to Silas' face.

Silas had been down and moody since the end of the last school year. He'd seem completely relaxed and he'd play with Seb and laugh with Severus and then retreat to his bedroom and lie on his bed in such a state of apathy that Severus could not comprehend. But since that day that Severus had spoken to Silas and Silas had met Belle the boy had been so hyperactive, and all thoughts of possible depression were gone. Severus hoped it had just been a phase of typical teenage angst. Lord knew Silas was entitled to his fair share of that, Severus had been much worse, and he still was. You didn't grow up in the Snape household without having issues to deal with.

There was a knock at the door and Severus couldn't stop himself from grinning; Julia was coming round. It seemed like forever since he'd last seen her and he had truly missed her.

When Julia and he had begun she had just been someone to fill a need he had for adult female company. But overtime it had morphed and he'd grown to love the woman like he had loved no other. Sure he had loved Lily but it had been different love, that love had been decidedly juvenile and innocent and really very ignorant. They had not known anything about themselves, each other or the world; they just knew that they were in love. But that wasn't enough; it wasn't enough for a healthy relationship and it wasn't enough to raise a son.

Severus' love with Julia was adult and more real than Severus had ever experienced. They were both cold, distant people by nature, who could be cruel and malicious without intention but they were both so much more than that and they understood that about each other. They loved that about each other. They fitted so well together that Severus sometimes wondered how he could have possibly been so foolish not to see it from the beginning.

His love with Julia was not movie magic, all-encompassing love but a love that could last forever through wanting to see the other happy and well; wanting to spend their lives together rather than needing it; it was sensible love and Severus cherished it more than he could have realised.

He stopped himself from skipping to the door; barely. He flung it open to see Julia standing on the door step. She wasn't wearing heals today, just smart flats with black dress pants but a simple grey woollen sweater on top. It was the most casual he had ever seen her, and she still looked as beautiful as ever.

She gave him a small smile as he just stared at her, "Well, Severus, we could stand outside all night. Or, I could come in and you could make up to me the fact that I haven't seen you in nearly a month." She lifted her eyebrow.

He smirked and opened the door for her. She walked in and promptly seated herself on the couch, Severus joining her a moment later.

"Hello." He smiled, putting his arm around her shoulders.

She leaned into his embrace. "Hey." She spoke quietly, timidly.

"What's wrong?" Severus traced a random pattern on the arm his hand was resting on.

She sighed, "Just being an overemotional female."

He chuckled, darkly, "Now you have me worried. You are most definitely not an overemotional female Miss Hall."

She giggled a little too, which was decidedly odd because Julia just wasn't the giggling type. "I don't know. Just we hadn't really spoken and hadn't even seen each other since I'd, well, since I'd told you about my past. I suppose I thought that you maybe had decided that I wasn't worth it anymore." She mumbled the last bit.

Severus tightened his grip on her and turned his head to kiss the top of her head. "Never. You are worth everything I could possibly give you, and your past hasn't nor will it ever change that. I love you Julia Hall, always." He said quietly.

She lifted her face and searched his eyes, looking for the truth behind his words; finally, smiling, she nodded her head slightly. "I love you Mr Snape." Her smile turned rather coy and she lifted her face to his, kissing him softly; pulling delicately on his lips, reacquainting herself with their taste.

Severus let her, he didn't kiss back; he just enjoyed the sensation of being handled so tenderly, as if he were some sort of valuable breakable.

Eventually she pulled away. "Well, Severus I think you're becoming rather lazy." Severus opened his eyes and saw her teasing smile.

"We can't have that now can we?" He laughed and it was his turn to kiss her, but she responded and soon the kiss was much more heated than the living room of a family home was really allowed to see.

"OH MY GOD! I AM SCARRED FOR LIFE!" Severus jumped up from his reclined position on top of Julia, he hadn't even realised his shirt was off until he felt the breeze from his sudden movements press cold fingers against his heated body. He looked down, his fly was undone and his pants were already half way down his arse. He looked at Julia who was now using her elbows to see over the back of the couch, her sweater was off and her shoes were on the ground. She was just in her pants and bra. And finally Severus turned his wide, shocked eyes to Silas who was standing in the entry way, Belle standing to the left and slightly behind him.

"Silas!" Severus spluttered, trying to pull his pants back over his arse, and failing miserably.

"Severus!" Julia hissed, anxiously, and Severus grabbed the first piece of clothing that he could and handed it to her, watching as she pulled his shirt over her head, and covered her naked torso, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed at that.

"I thought you were at Belle's!" Severus turned back to a stunned Silas.

"I was! But now I'm here!" Silas yelled, a little hysterically. "But now we're going back and we're going to stay there! For another two hours at least!" Silas ran to the door, flung it open and slammed it behind himself and Belle, no doubt running all the way across the street.

It was completely silent for a minute as the couple stared at the spot Silas had just vacated until Severus' attention was captured by Julia laughing. He looked down at her, she'd collapsed on the couch again and was now laughing absolutely hysterically.

"Julia?" He asked, questioning her sanity more than anything else.

"You should have seen your faces!" She gasped out before giggling madly again.

Severus huffed.

She calmed down a little and sent him a teasing smile. "And, he gave us two hours Sev. Imagine what we could do in two hours." She lifted her eye brow suggestively and Severus couldn't have been more interested.

She was just perfect, he knew. He loved it when she shortened his name like that; it was rare and that made it more special, more private when she used it. He also loved it when she missed the middle syllable in his name when she was tired, or distracted, it had to have been the cutest thing he had ever heard.

"You may regret that later." Severus grinned manically, making her scoff. He scooped her off of the couch and fairly ran upstairs with her before she could say anything else, he didn't think he could really take any more.

* * *

><p>Yes, well um... this story seems to be getting progressively more and more dirty. And it's way not my fault, I begin a chapter with no real knowledge of what'll happen just that I need to have a certain scene in it or a certain piece of information and then the rest is sort of up to what the characters themselves decide and Severus and Julia seem to need me to write them having a lot of 'couple happiness'.<p>

haha i sound so corny, anywho this is the latest chapter, as you can tell and um I just realised I'm already writing chapter eleven but I still haven't actually gotten to the crux of this story, and this was only meant to be like fifteen chapters. I'm considering splitting it into two stories, or just making this really long. But I feel if I do that then people tend to forget what they read in the first chapters and chalk that stuff up to being unimportant when I don't think it is. So I dunno what I'm saying here, maybe I'm asking for some advice?

**hani: **Haha thanks, I love the Malfoys too (when they're good that is, I don't like dark Malfoys). Yeah, you're exactly right, Charlie is still very childish. She's only about nineteen and even though she's only five years younger than Severus he's lived a whole life time compared to her in everything he's done and seen and accomplished. She needs to see that before she can actually see Severus. But she's on her way, I have hope for her. haha

**cara-tanaka: **Here you are, and even sooner than I usually do too!

**Mira SeverusSirius Black-Snape: **You may be more right than you know...haha

**LemonDropsWoolSocks: **And the virtual prize of 'something that I haven't even thought about yet' goes to...LEMONDROPSWOOLSOCKS! haha and yeah that's what I was going for, the goddess of fertility. Now you may be right about any one of those three scenarios and you've probably already guessed which one so I'm just gonna shut up about that right now. haha I love the reaction to the snake, my mum is just like that, my whole family went to the zoo once and my mother wouldn't even go into the reptile house. But don't worry Astarte won't feature too heavily in the story, you could probably just block her scenes out if it came to that. haha. I'm happy you like the story so much I hope this chapter filled your Severus/Julia and Severus Silas argument quota for the week, and look, I updated earlier than usual, a friday afternoon instead of a saturday one - you've just gotta be happy about that!

**morsatra: **Thanks so much! And I guess you'll just have to see what that fertility goddess means for this story! ;D

**bookwormqueen7: **Cool thanks and here you are.

**Silvermane1: **Thank you!

**Celestialuna: **Thanks dear!


	10. Confessions

**Chapter Ten - Confessions **

"SEVERUS! SEV – E – RUS!" Severus jumped awake to screaming next to his ear. Julia was sitting up in bed next to him, leaning against the headboard, her knees pulled up to her chest, eyes staring fixedly at the foot of the bed.

"What? What?" Severus asked, looking for any signs of danger.

"SNAAAAKE!" Julia screamed.

Severus looked to where Julia was gesticulating. Astarte was moving around the foot of the bed, obviously having awoken from the screaming as well.

"It's alright Julia. It's just Seb's snake, Astarte. Calm down."

Julia turned eyes that were wide with fear on him. "What?" She asked, incredulous.

Severus just stood up, picked up the snake and left the room. He placed the snake in its tank in Seb's room, closing the hatch firmly and went back into the bedroom. Julia was confused, he could tell.

"Severus, would you like to explain to me why your five year old son has a pet snake?" Her tone was rather deadly and Severus couldn't help himself from gulping.

He knew he had to tell her now, be honest with her about everything. She had been honest with him and now he had to be honest with her, but not this second. It was the middle of the night, and Severus could hardly think. In the morning he would tell all.

Severus climbed back into the bed. "There's an explanation, trust me, I may be a little ignorant about parental matters but I'm not a complete idiot, I like to flatter myself that I'm rather a good father." Severus gave her a sardonic smile and settled further into the bed, pulling a reluctant Julia down to settle on his chest.

"I promise I will explain everything to you in the morning, let's just sleep now. I'm still tired from… before." Severus smirked.

He could feel Julia's smile against his chest, "Yes well, it was quite impressive Sev."

Severus laughed and Julia joined him. They were asleep within minutes.

* * *

><p>Severus marvelled at what simply being honest with each other could do to a relationship. Last month Julia had told Severus her deepest darkest secret and now Julia was so much more open and accepting of their relationship. She didn't mind that Severus touched her, because it was Severus, Severus who she trusted beyond a shadow of a doubt. Severus just hoped that she still trusted him after everything he had to say to her today. He hoped that she would be alright, that she would understand, because really - he needed her, and he craved her support. He wanted to worry over Seb's health with someone other than a brother or surrogate brother, he wanted the support only a partner could really give.<p>

He knew that she felt like he supported her, especially after her confession and his acceptance of who she was but he longed to feel supported himself and he hoped that she would fulfil that need.

Currently she was laying in his arms, using his chest as a pillow and breathing deeply in her sleep. He ran his fingers through her impossibly soft hair. It was fine and delicate and the most amazing colour he'd ever seen. Under light it looked like liquid gold, even though ordinarily it was a light brown shade.

It was six o'clock and the sun had already begun to rise. He sighed, he loved this. He'd never woken up with Julia in his arms before. She'd never felt comfortable enough, safe enough to do so. But everything had changed and he hoped it would be enough for her to forgive not telling her earlier, and to accept a whole new world.

"Mmm, Sev'rus." She mumbled, she rubbed her face into his chest as she woke up. "That feels nice." She said, and he realised she was referring to his hand in her hair.

"Morning, love." He smiled and leant down to kiss the top of her head.

He felt her smile. "Morning, dear." He heard the sarcasm in her statement. "We sound like an old married couple, you know that." She said.

"I don't think you should complain, if you do I might just greet you how I greet Si when he wakes up." Severus' fingers traced down Julia's bare arm.

"Oh, and how's that?" He could hear Julia's teasing tone.

"'Morning idiot,' or 'Hey it's the teenage drama queen,' or 'Oh my god, you're alive' or 'Did you still live here, I hadn't seen you all day so I assumed you'd moved out,' or…"

Julia laughed, "Okay, okay, I get the picture. You're mean to your little brother." Julia moved further up Severus' chest and turned her head so that she could see him properly.

"Hey! Don't say it like he's some poor little defenceless puppy, he gives just as good as he receives." Severus defended.

"Uhu, I'm sure." She leant in and captured his lips in a soft morning kiss, before pulling away. "Now, tell me about the snake." She narrowed her gaze as if that would somehow squeeze the truth out of him.

Severus coughed. "It's a very long story. And please just listen and wait until the end. And I promise everything I'm about to tell you is the truth, I'm not lying. And I'm sorry I haven't told you before but I mean at first we were just casual and you weren't really allowed to know and then it just got easy to forget to tell you, especially when I didn't know where this relationship was headed. But I do now, I know that I love you, and that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I know that now so I want you to know everything, but please just don't be upset with me -"

"Severus! Calm down. I'll hear you out, just like you heard me. I promise. I won't judge you." Julia stilled his uncharacteristic rambling with a hand to his mouth.

Severus nodded and Julia removed her hand.

"Okay. I don't really know how to begin." He mumbled.

"The beginning is usually a good point." She teased.

Severus made a face, "There's not much of a beginning here, it just sort of is…" Severus trailed off, trying to collect his thoughts and Julia just watched him patiently, resting her chin on his chest.

"I'm just going to come out and say it. I'm a wizard." Severus blurted.

The room was silent for a moment, and then Julia began to laugh so hard she couldn't breathe. Severus watched her with a worried frown. By this point she was sitting up, holding Severus' hand.

"I think that was the most random joke I've ever heard!" She managed after a few minutes, before finally settling down and turning a serious face back to Severus. "I'm sorry. Okay, now you can tell me whatever it is you were going to say."

"It's not a joke Julia. I am really a wizard, and so is Seb and Si. Magic is real Julia." Severus spoke slowly.

Julia just stared at him. "Oh."

Severus sighed and sat up also. "There's a whole other world beside this one Julia. A Wizarding world. A world filled with magic and creatures that you could never imagine. I understand that this is a little overwhelming but please believe me. " Severus grasped both her hands in his, holding them tight. Julia just studied him for a moment.

"Alright…say I believe you. Tell me about how this works?"

"I'm not sure how to explain it to you. But, um, the world you live in is the muggle world. Muggle is a word we use to describe people who are non-magical. Um, it's different in the Wizarding world, we have different customs and expectations. When our children are eleven they go to magical boarding schools to receive training to become witches and wizards, before that children are educated at home but are not able to perform any kind of magic that is not accidental."

"What do you mean?" Julia seemed to be accepting this rather well, but Severus wouldn't allow himself his sigh of relief just yet.

"Children are either born with magic or they are not. When magical children are born they have access to their magic from birth but are not able to use it intentionally until they turn eleven and receive their wands and go off to school. Before then their magic does work but is only used when the child is in great distress or need. Or sometime just because they really want something." Severus smiled at a private memory.

Julia frowned. "Alright, you're a wizard." She breathed deeply. "Prove it."

Severus raised an eyebrow and smirked. He retrieved his wand from the bedside cabinet and waved it at his shirt that was lying discarded on the floor. The shirt rose into the air and hovered over to them, landing softly in Julia's lap. She looked at it, studied it and put it on.

"Okay." She breathed again. "Continue. What about Seb's snake?"

"Well, see in the Wizarding world we have pets of course but instead of just them being close to us as we care for them we actually bond with them. It's more of a give and take relationship, the pet takes care of us as well and is not really a pet but a part of the family, who knows its bonded human probably better than most other humans ever could. We call these pets familiars. We only really bond to magical creatures, but of course wizards and witches do also bond to ordinary muggle animals as well. Rocky is Seb's familiar."

Julia kept breathing deeply, it was as if she was trying to stave off a panic attack. "Right, and the snake?"

"Yes, well, we generally only have one familiar but Seb found Astarte in the neighbour's garden two weeks ago and they bonded. Seb is a rather special boy."

"How so?" Julia seemed very interested, and Severus couldn't help but feel hopeful. He wanted Julia to feel for Seb, he wanted her to love him as a parent would, because if everything turned out like he hoped, Julia would soon become another parental figure in the little boy's life.

"It's not often that wizards bond to snakes because they are seen as 'dark' creatures. Seb, however, has a unique ability that makes him much more conducive to liking snakes. Seb is a parselmouth, which means he can talk to snakes. This is a very rare ability and it is almost a near impossibility for Seb to have the gift, but have it he does. But our world is very prejudiced and his gift is seen as a 'dark' ability, because some wizards from the past who were dark had the ability." Severus was trying to explain as best he could, and Julia seemed to be understanding.

"Right." She said at last. "I think I need a shower, clear my head a bit." Severus nodded and she stood from the bed and ambled into the shower. Severus spelled some of his clothes for her and then retreated downstairs to make breakfast. He hoped she'd be alright.

Almost an hour later Julia joined him downstairs in a pair of Severus' black slacks that had been resized and one of his shirts.

"You know, I really should bring clothes. I don't know where you manage to find clothes for me." She said, sitting down.

"They're mine. I resize them for you." Severus placed a plate of eggs before her.

Julia looked at him, uncomprehendingly before realisation finally dawned and she let out a half-hearted chuckle, "Of course you do." She began to eat slowly.

Severus watched her, having already eaten, and sipped his coffee.

"I think I understand. I may have questions later but I think I understand." She said when she finished.

Severus held his breath, "You're not mad at me for not telling you before?"

She shook her head, "No, why would you? It wasn't right for you to tell me before, I probably would have run away screaming. No, you had to make me love you first, so that I couldn't possibly want to leave you." She sent him a smirk.

Severus sighed out his relief, "A very Slytherin tactic that." He responded.

"What?" She frowned.

He waved it off. "Don't worry dear, more information than you need right now. We'll just let you absorb the basics first before we get right down to the basics of Wizarding society." He smirked and she rolled her eyes.

"I can stay 'till lunch but then I have to get home, I have a huge pile of paper work waiting for me." She put her plate in the sink and began washing the dishes.

"Alright, I'll just have a quick shower." He hugged her from behind quickly before starting up the stairs.

"Severus." Julia called just as Severus' foot landed on the second step, she spoke absently as if she wasn't really paying attention to what she was saying, "Don't think I missed or forgot that comment about spending the rest of your life with me. We will be talking about that." She continued washing dishes, and Severus couldn't help but grin at the woman's back. She would have been in Slytherin were she magical, she was just so magnificently manipulative.

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><p>Here we are Chapter 10! How'd you like it? I know not much really happened but I realised that we still needed to inform Julia of some rather important aspects of Severus' life.<p>

**cara-tanaka**: There you go dear, hoped you enjoyed it!

**LemonDropsWoolSocks**: OMG! I'm so going to make people call me Oh Great One more often. Suits me don't you think? ;D I'm so happy that you love Julia and Sev almost as much as I do, they make me so happy, I had not anticipated how much I would fall in love with these characters when I begun the story! I definitely like the assessment on the dirt factor in my story, and if there are people who can't handle my references I guess they shouldn't be reading stories rated M. haha! I KNOW RIGHT! I've seen the movie twice already, it was brilliant, i loved the extra Snape scenes they made me happy, made me like Alan Rickman as Severus Snape much more. :D

PLEASE REVIEW! If you have ten minutes to read my chapter surely you have twenty seconds to leave a review. Thank you lovies!

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><p>Oh and I wanna commission some fanart for this fic for a future chapter so if anyone's interested let me know. I'll give you spoilers for the next couple chapters in return as well as a full overview of one chapter for which the art is intended. Thank you!<p> 


	11. Building Family

**Chapter Eleven - Building Family**

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Oh, come on, please?"

"I said, no." Belle crossed her arms over her chest and scowled.

"But, Belle, come on, please!" Silas was standing in her bedroom, pleading with the girl sitting in her desk chair.

"Silas Snape, I've already told you that I will not help you prank your brother. I have hardly met him and I do not want to make a bad first impression!" Her scowl deepened.

Silas fell to his knees before her feet and held his hands in a show of complete and utter shameless begging, "You've met him like three times! This'll be like a fourth impression, I promise! Please, he'll not think badly of you, not at all."

She sighed, "Silas if I join you in this moronic prank when Severus plots his revenge, which by the way he most definitely will, he'll get me back too and I am so not becoming involved in this little civil war."

"Belle, he locked me outside of the house for three hours! Three hours! All because I merely smiled politely when he escorted Julia out the front door."

Belle laughed, "You're such a liar!" She patted him on the head. "Now, I'll help you plot, but you have to do it on your own. If he even gets so much of whiff of my involvement in this, I'll skin you alive."

"Oh, well you really do know how to turn a guy on." Silas wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Silas!" She slapped his arm playfully and turned in her swivel chair to face the desk, Silas coming around to look over her shoulder at her plans.

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><p>Severus was sitting on the couch, Julia beside him, both reading different sections of the muggle newspaper.<p>

"Severus?" Julia didn't lower her paper or stop reading.

"Yes?" Severus replied, absently, continuing to read his own paper.

"Do wizards have newspapers?"

"Yes, not good ones, but they have them." Severus couldn't help but sneer.

"Do you think I could read one?" She finally finished her article and set aside the paper.

"Of course." Severus reached for the draw under the coffee table and took out that morning's _Daily Prophet_, he'd already read it while Julia was showering.

"Thank you." She smiled before watching the little moving picture of a short rotund man in a bowler hat.

"Mhm." Severus continued to read, and they lapsed back into silence.

Tick, tick, tick. Severus turned his page. Tick, tick, tick. Julia frowned. Tick, tick, tick. Severus growled. Tick, tick, tick. Julia sighed and Severus looked around the room for the disturbance.

"What on the bloody earth is that?" He half growled. Tick, tick, tick.

"It's driving me nuts." Julia complained. Severus stood up and began following the sound, Julia hot on his heels. Tick, tick, tick. It appeared to be coming from outside the front door. Severus yanked the door open, irritated beyond belief. He had just enough time to glance out of the door, scowl firmly in place before he felt something wet and sticky slam into his face, blocking his vision for a moment before sliding down his face and falling to the ground.

Silas was standing just a few feet away, Severus looked down, a demolished cream pie was by his feet, Severus looked back up and Silas had started running across the street and Severus took off after him without another thought.

Despite the fact that Silas was younger, Severus' legs were still longer and he caught up to the boy quickly, managing to tackle him to the ground on Charlie's front lawn. Silas shrieked bloody murder.

"You little bastard!" Severus yelled, pulling Silas' hair.

"Sev! Sev! Please, please. I'm sorry, I'm sorry." The boy begged, he used Severus' momentary distraction to buck the man off of his back and scrambled to stand, Severus a second behind him and glaring dangerously at the youth.

"Severus, I think perhaps you should calm down. Plot your revenge. Don't waste it now by killing the boy." Julia said smoothly, placing a hand on Severus' arm.

The man sighed, nodded and allowed Julia to lead him home, he did, however, make sure to lock all the doors once they were inside. Silas was not allowed back.

Julia took Severus to the upstairs bathroom and helped him clean up.

"Well, that was quite an... experience." She tried to hold back a smirk, judging by Severus' expression however she was not succeeding.

"Yes. Well…" Severus didn't have much to say, all mental faculties were currently being employed in finding an excellent way to take vengeance upon the loser that Severus called brother.

"Severus, I have to go in about ten minutes." Julia smiled at the distracted man and finished wiping his face down.

Severus snapped out of his 'torture Silas world' and looked at Julia, who was now rinsing the cloth in the sink. "Do you have to? Stay another night, come on, its Saturday. Please. Seb will be home soon, and then you'll be able to meet Lucius and you can hear about Seb with me." Severus could hardly believe he was pleading with this woman but all of a sudden he just knew that she needed to be here, with him and his family, she belonged with them.

Julia gave Severus a small smile and stood in front of where he was sitting on the rim of the bath, she pressed her hands against his chest. "What do you mean by hearing about Seb with you?" She said softly.

Severus shook his head, "I don't know. Julia there's something wrong with him, he doesn't act normally anymore. When I talk to him sometimes he sounds so old and wise I feel like I'm talking to my Great Grandfather. And then other times he sounds so strange like he's speaking from some kind of higher power. He knows people, knows what they want, knows what their hearts truly say. And then other times he acts like some poor abused two year old who is so completely vulnerable and can't stomach me not being around him at all times. As if he is afraid I'll leave him. And then he belies all that by acting like a normal, happy five year old." Severus leaned his head against Julia's shoulder and she ran her hands through his hair. "I'm scared." He said in a very small voice.

Julia frowned, nothing about this 'new world' made any sense to her but if Severus was having such a strong reaction to whatever was happening then it had to be terribly serious.

"It's alright Sev, I'm here. I promise it'll be alright, we'll figure this out, we'll help Seb, together." She whispered and pressed a kiss to the top of Severus' head.

Severus nodded against her shoulder. "Thank you. Lucius was going to research it, he said he found out what was wrong with Seb. He's telling me this afternoon when he brings Seb home."

"Okay, I'll be here with you. I won't leave you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you too, with you and Seb and Silas. I know I don't know them very well yet, but well I want to."

Severus looked up and beamed at the woman before him, "Marry me."

Julia choked, "What?"

Severus grinned. "Will you, Julia Hall, marry me, Severus Snape?"

Julia studied him for a moment, trying to determine the reality of her situation before sending Severus a delighted smile. "Mmm, let me think about it…yes, alright you've convinced me!"

Severus laughed and pulled Julia against his chest and kissed her soundly.

"Oh damn!" Severus exclaimed suddenly, pulling away.

"What?" Julia frowned.

"I haven't got you a ring yet."

Julia laughed, "Don't worry about it, we'll get one later." She patted him on the head. "But wait, what about what you said before? About needing time, that this wasn't the right time?" Her face turned serious and her eyebrows scrunched in concentration.

He gave her a soft smile and his hand rose to cup her cheek. "I love you. You are meant to be a part of this family. There is no better time. You belong with us and there is no sense in waiting." He pulled her face down and kissed her softly. She pulled away, gave him a smile of acceptance and contentment and then left the bathroom.

"Julia?" Severus was a little bewildered and carefully followed the woman. She was standing in his bedroom's doorway, studying the room. "What are you doing?"

"Oh?" She spoke distractedly, "I'm trying to figure out where my stuff's going to go."

Severus rolled his eyes. "Of course you are. I propose and two minutes later you're redecorating the house."

"Shut up you." She scolded half-heartedly; she was too engrossed in her planning.

Severus shook his head and ambled downstairs to finish reading a potions journal. It was an hour later before there was the knock at the door that proclaimed the arrival of Lucius and Seb.

Severus flung the door open and Seb promptly jumped into his father's chest with a shouted, "Daddy!"

"Hey Sebby boy." Severus squeezed the boy tightly and allowed Lucius to pass through the door before shutting it behind him. "Good afternoon Lucius."

Lucius smirked, "Severus."

"Dad, I missed you." Seb mumbled from where his face was buried in Severus' neck.

"I missed you too, son."

"Really? It seems to me Seb that you're Dad had a sleepover too." Lucius smirked again.

Severus frowned until he followed Lucius' line of site to Julia's shoes sitting innocently beside the couch.

"You did?" Seb pulled his face away to look directly in Severus' face.

Severus nodded, "I did, but I did miss you baby."

Seb seemed to consider this for a moment before giving his father a small smile and nodding back.

"Are you hungry Seb?" Severus asked walking further into the house.

"Nah." The boy shook his head. "But I'm tired. Can I have a nap daddy?" Seb leaned his head against Severus' shoulder.

"Of course, are you feeling alright Seb?" Severus shot a concerned look at Lucius.

"Oh I expect he's feeling just fine but the boys were a little too excited last night, they didn't find sleep until very late." Lucius gave Severus a sardonic look and Severus couldn't help but smirk at the small, almost invisible bags under Lucius' eyes.

"I see. Well come on then Seb, let's find you a nap. I'll be down in a minute Lucius." Severus called the last over his shoulder as he carried Seb upstairs.

Julia was standing at the end of the hall, studying the carpet and wall paint. Severus stopped short at the completely statuesque Julia.

"Darling?" He asked.

She snapped out of her reverie and gave him a small smile. "Yes, I'm fine just a little distracted. Oh Seb you're home. How was your visit?"

Seb looked up and gave her a small smile. "Alright, thank you. How's yours?"

Julia laughed a little. "One of the best I've ever had, I think."

Seb grinned slightly. "I'm glad." And then he dropped his head on Severus' shoulder again.

Severus smiled, "I'm just going to put Seb down for a nap, and then we'll go down and see Lucius together."

"Alright. I'm just going to use the bathroom. I'll meet you down there." Julia disappeared in his, now their, bedroom.

Severus put Seb in his bed and the boy was asleep almost immediately. He kissed the soft hair and tucked the tired out boy in.

When he reached the sitting room Lucius was lounged in one of the armchairs reading Severus' potions journal.

"Tea Lucius?" He offered, walking into the kitchen.

"Always." Lucius didn't look up from his magazine. Severus smirked and retreated into the kitchen. Not a minute later Julia came down the stairs to see a white blonde man sitting in the living room and to hear Severus making more dishes in the kitchen.

"Hello?" She questioned more than said as she stepped further into the room. The man looked up before standing immediately and bowing his head slightly to her.

Julia noticed that he was almost as tall as Severus and that his shoulders were just as broad, his hair was quite a bit longer as it brushed just past his shoulder blades.

"I am Lucius Malfoy, you must be Julia." He said after a moment.

"Yes, I am, sorry." She stepped forward and extended her hand for him to shake, he took her hand but he turned it over and kissed the back of her hand. She couldn't help but blush and give a coy smile to the charming man.

"Well, Lucius if you've had enough of trying to charm the pants off of my fiancé I daresay we could all have a seat." Julia turned to see Severus leaning on the jamb of the doorway, a tea tray in his hands.

She smiled and took the tray from him. "Honestly Severus, one would think you'd be a little more secure than that."

Severus smiled back but it was Lucius that spoke, "Severus, did you say fiancé?

Severus looked back to Lucius and had to blink a few times to regain some semblance of focus. "As of an hour and a half ago, yes."

Lucius chuckled softly. "Glad to hear it, congratulations to you both."

"Thank you." Severus sat next to Julia on the sofa and Lucius took the arm chair again.

"So, I assume that Julia is aware of _everything_?" Lucius took the cup that Julia handed him.

"Yes, very much so." Severus nodded and Julia settled into the couch after serving both Severus and herself as well.

"Then I may speak frankly?" Lucius attempted to reassure himself. Severus just nodded for Lucius to continue. "So as you know Severus I have been searching for answers regarding Sebastian's _condition_. And the conclusion that I have reached is what we suspected it to be. Sebastian is an empath. But not in the traditional sense. In my readings I discovered that in magical people the qualities of empaths are increased tenfold. Sebastian can feel everything that those around him feel as a non-magical empath would feel, but it goes beyond that. Sebastian is able to understand the reasons behind those feelings of every single person he meets not just those he's close to. Furthermore Sebastian also feels people he's emotionally close to from long distances. So in effect if you were in America Severus, Sebastian could feel everything that you felt while you were there." Lucius paused a moment and sipped his tea.

"That explains that Lucius, but what about Seb's multiple personality issue?" Severus leaned forward and placed his cup on the coffee table, Julia put a comforting hand on his back.

Lucius sighed. "Well, the literature I read would indicate that a young Magical Empath goes through various stages of development. The first typically comes around the age of eleven and the child would become confused and a little off balance until their new abilities properly settled." Lucius placed his now empty cup next to Severus'. "The fact that Seb's first stage has happened so early would point to the fact that Seb will be an incredibly powerful wizard and his empath abilities powerful accordingly. It is only logical to assume that the emotional upheaval that most Magical Empaths experience would be tenfold for the boy as are his abilities. Everything I've read indicates to the fact that this is just a phase that will pass. Once his abilities have settled within himself Seb will return to the five year old he is."

Severus sighed with relief and Julia couldn't help releasing a small nervous chuckle.

"So Seb is going to be alright?" Julia asked after a moment.

"Well, yes. Typically he'll go through a few more developing stages, each lasting around three months or so, but he is fine." Lucius assured them and he was graced with a truly happy smile from his brother.

"Thank you so much Lucius." The men stood and Severus shook Lucius' hand before turning around and embracing Julia enthusiastically.

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><p>I decided to update early because... well because I felt like it and I had the time. Okay so I'm writing fourteen at the moment and I've figured out that there'll be around twenty chapters in this story and there will be a sequel, I don't think it'll be quite as long as this story ended up being but at least there'll be one.<p>

**hani**: Well I don't think it has all really sunk in properly yet, but she was pretty cool about it. Yeah Sev's honesty I think was very important for them.

**cara-tanaka**: Thank you, and here you are dear!

**Mira SeverusSirius Black-Snape**: Thank you love!

**LemonDropsWoolSocks**: Oh Young One you do me great honour! I hope this chapter answered those marital urges of yours, and I'm glad to see that I've side stepped your vengeance quite neatly. I'm not sure about the transfiguaration of Astarte but I suppose you have the right to wish that snakes didn't exist especially in this story, haha, oh dear. Oh my gosh when you said that about the first sentence I went back and read it and was completely mortified to find that you were right! I can't believe I wrote that and so innocently too! I love the description of Severus and Julia's face sucking, so very many adjectives! Yeah you're like an idea machine, I should pay you, but I'm not gonna because well I'm poor and I can't even afford myself. WOW I'm impressed, 8000+ words that puts me to shame man! I can't wait for you to post it, I'm so reading it! Don't worry apparently I talk a lot as well and apparanetly very fast, I'm just permanently speaking and no one can ever understand me, it's quite sad really. I love your reviews my dear, they make my day and I'm always in stitches laughing! Thank you Young One.

**Celestialuna**: Thanks love!


	12. The Letter

**Chapter Twelve - The Letter**

"Severus let me in! You're just being childish!" Silas complained, pressing himself up against the uncovered window set in the front door. Severus was sitting on the stairs inside, staring at Silas.

"Am not! Why don't you go back to bloody _Charlie_'s house and stay there, where you belong!" He uttered Charlie as if it were an expletive.

Silas frowned. "Don't be a douche Sev! I don't know what she did to you but you just have to get over it now! I mean _Merlin_ we're neighbours!" Silas pressed his face against the window distorting his facial features.

He could see feet coming down the stairs as Severus replied. "It's not so much what she did to me that I can't forgive, rather what she insinuated about Julia and my relationship with her that I can't allow to pass without satisfaction!" Severus roared back, standing up and charging at the door, Silas even stepped back in unnamed and unacknowledged fright.

"What Severus?" Silas could barely hear Julia's quiet voice on the other side of the door. It had been her feet coming downstairs, Seb was standing behind her, holding her hand with one of his and using his other hand to rub his eyes; he must have just woken up from a nap.

Severus turned around, apparently surprised at being overheard, which was really quite idiotic in Silas' opinion because Severus had just been yelling loudly through a door at his own little brother.

Severus shook his head, clearing it from cobwebs Silas expected. "Nothing Julia, nothing. Come on, let's just go make dinner." Severus began leading Julia and Seb to the kitchen.

"Not so fast. Tell me what she said Severus. If it's about me I deserve to know. And if it's effecting you this badly I need to know." Julia answered, not moving an inch, her expression completely blank and her voice cold, but it was obvious to Silas and the other Snape men that Julia cared about what was happening.

Severus sighed. "Seb, go wash up for dinner." He instructed softly. Seb paused for a moment, looked up at Julia, gave her a little smile and slowly stumbled upstairs. The boy was obviously still sleepy. Once Seb was gone Severus looked at Julia again, they had both seemingly forgotten about Silas, whose facial features were once again being distorted by being pressed up against the window and Silas just knew that Severus would make him wash all the windows the next day, without magic, for messing up just the one.

"She felt that I was not a moral enough parental force for Sebastian. She thought that I was an absent father that cared more about work and whores than Seb." Severus said softly, the venom in his voice clearly indicating his displeasure that anyone could think that way about his relationships with his family.

Julia sighed, "And I suppose she thought I was just some random whore?"

Severus nodded. Julia patted his shoulder. "I don't know if I should be upset with her or not. I mean she obviously cares about Seb."

Severus frowned. "Julia! She's a busybody! She has no right to ask anything about our personal lives, much less accuse me or you of being anything!"

Julia sighed again and nodded mutely. "I understand Sev, I really do but this bitterness is not good for Seb. He needs you to be calm. He's already unstable because of his growth stage, you constantly feeding him negative emotions isn't going to help him. Let it go. Yes, she was wrong but this isn't going to make that not have happened."

Severus looked as if he was going to protest but then nodded and pulled Julia into a hug before she pulled away, sending him a coy smile. "Careful there Severus I don't think Silas could take any more public displays of affection just yet." She said and then sauntered off into the kitchen.

Severus turned back to Silas and Silas just shot him a grin from where he was pressed up against the window. "See, I'm right! Now let me back in. I have to pee, and I'm _hungry_."

Severus smiled maliciously. "Shouldn't have admitted that little brother, you can stay out for another hour now!" Severus cackled and disappeared in the same direction as Julia just had.

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><p>A week later and it was Friday, the day before Seb's birthday. Julia and Severus had both taken the day off to move Julia in. Severus was so excited he couldn't help practically bounding through the house as he carried boxes around at the behest of Julia, with the aid of Silas.<p>

Belle had come over to help and was putting Julia's books away, wedging them in with Severus' books which were ordered by subject and then alphabetically. Severus couldn't help but grin at that, she was really moving in with them. Not just physically but she was becoming a part of them, they were going to integrate.

"You look like an idiot, Sev!" Silas snickered and pushed Severus who had to find his footing again on the stairs. At Severus' murderous expression Silas ran up the stairs ahead of him to the master bedroom. Julia was seated on the floor, stacking clothes into a bottom drawer of the bureau. Silas placed the box against a wall next to another box.

"These are the last ones Julia!" Silas sing-songed.

"Thank you Silas." Julia didn't look up from her stacking.

"I'm gonna go help Belle now. And then later when Sev asks where I am, tell him I'll be at her house. He won't wanna talk to me for a bit I reckon." The boy said conspiratorially and Julia laughed as Silas skipped out the door and passed the entering Severus.

"Last one!" He dropped his box next to Silas'. "What can I do?" Severus asked.

Julia paused for a moment as she finished with the bureau, stood up and looked over at the last three boxes against the wall.

She pointed at the first box with narrowed eyes as if she could see right through the cardboard. "That one is bathroom stuff." She pointed to the next box. "That one is bed clothes." She pointed to the last. "Those are my shoes."

"Should I be worried that the biggest box is the one with your shoes in it?" Severus smirked.

"Worried? Why should you be worried? I think you should be rather pleased that I have quite so many shoes. Always prepared and that. I'm just being cautious." Julia mock frowned.

Severus laughed and gathered the woman in his arms.

"No wait! I want to finish soon, so that we can start decorating and cooking for Seb's party tomorrow!" Julia protested, pushing weakly at Severus' chest.

Severus ignored her protests and kissed her anyway; she gave in easily, but only for a moment before she really pushed him away.

"Alright, you unpack the shoes on the shoe rack in the closet and I'll put away my bathroom stuff." She walked over to the boxes but Severus didn't move. "Severus! Move! Work! You can daydream later!" She ordered before disappearing into the bathroom and Severus obeyed with the huge smile that he couldn't seem to put away that afternoon.

When Silas reached downstairs he could hear Seb practicing French with Mrs. Martin at the dining room table. Belle had almost finished with the books and soon they were done.

"Come on, let's go back to your place." Silas took her hand and began pulling her away.

"Can't, sorry Si. Charlie's taking me and Casey to dinner tonight and I have to go get ready. But I'll see you tomorrow at Seb's party." Belle smiled and pecked Silas' cheek.

"By Belle." He said, a little more than disappointed and closed the door behind her.

He went into the kitchen and made himself a sandwich. It wasn't long before he heard Mrs. Martin packing up her things and telling Seb to take a break this weekend and have a happy birthday.

"Bye Mrs. Martin!" Silas called as she stepped out the door. He could hear the woman laugh softly before closing the door.

Sebastian came running into the kitchen grinning from ear to ear, and chanting, "C'est mon anniversaire! Je suis six!" over and over again.

"What?" Silas asked through his last bite of sandwich.

"It's my birthday. I'm six! Mrs. Martin taught it to me." Seb jumped happily around for a minute before running out of the kitchen and up the stairs all the while yelling his French declaration of age.

Silas was now bored. There was nothing to do! And he did not want to volunteer for another job that involved moving Julia in, he was tired of that, he had been doing it all day after all!

And so Silas wandered around the downstairs of the Snape/Hall household. When he came to the hall he found himself studying the mirror hanging above the sideboard.

While Severus looked very much like their father, Silas' features were always softer, rounder, less harsh. Silas had much more of his mother's influence in his face and he couldn't help being proud of that. Proud that he had at least had her as a mother. She had been enough to balance his father's negative influence in his life and sometimes Silas still wished his mother were with him, there to hold him and tell him everything was alright.

With a sigh Silas looked down and frowned. On the normally clear sideboard sat a small white envelope. It was blank except for the 'Silas' scrawled on the top left corner of the parchment. It was unaddressed and so therefore hand delivered but Sev hadn't told him he had received any mail.

Bemused, Silas picked up the envelope and tore it open. He unfolded the plain white paper and as he read his frown increased.

_Silas,_

_I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I know that's not what you want to hear from me but it's the truth. I know what I did was wrong, I know how I behaved was wrong and you have no idea how much I regret hurting you and your brother and mother._

_Whatever may have happened, I love you and your brother. When I left it took me a year to fully realise that my life had been nothing but a horror, especially to those closest to me and I knew I had to do something about it. I went to rehab Silas, and I cleaned myself up. I got a steady job, and I met my wife._

_What I'm trying to say is I know that I was never much of a father to you and I was never much of anything to you, just the bastard that came home late every night after long hours at the pub. _

_I ruined your childhood and it took me this long to find an ounce of courage to apologise and admit that I was wrong, that I was the scum of the earth. _

_Silas, I would give anything to make it up to you, to explain to you that I could not be more remorseful. It was my wife that made me realise that I had unresolved issues with you, and that none of us would ever be truly at peace if we didn't sort it out._

_So I'm asking you, I'm begging you Silas, to just give me a chance to properly apologise and I know I can never make it up to you but I want to at least try fixing what I broke._

_Please give me a chance, I know I'm asking a lot of you when I don't deserve to even look at you, but please Silas._

_I want to make it up to Severus as well but I need more time, please don't tell him yet, I need more time, I can't do this all at once, not yet. _

_You can reach me at the address and telephone number at the back of this letter. Please Silas._

_Tobias Snape._

Silas dropped the letter on the sideboard and grabbed onto the edge, steadying himself and breathing heavily. He couldn't believe this was happening. He had thought that his father was gone, dead, lying somewhere in a ditch from alcohol poisoning or being hit by a car because he was so inebriated he couldn't remember to look both ways before crossing the street.

Not this. Not having seemingly cleaned himself up, turned respectable. And Silas could feel the resentment as bile in his throat. Sure, his father could change but not for _him _not for _Severus_ and not for their _mother_. Their father had been selfish and wouldn't change for them but he would for himself. And yet Silas could not quash that little inkling of hope and curiosity and need. Need to have a father. Silas could not bring himself to tear up the paper and toss it away like any sane person would expect him to do, like Severus would expect him to do. It was his father!

Silas could hardly breathe, let alone move when he heard Severus running down the stairs chanting French with Seb. When they reached the bottom Silas was still where he was when he had dropped the letter.

When Severus saw his brother the ready insult died on his lips. Silas was completely white, he looked sick and like he'd seen a ghost. Severus placed Seb on the ground and absently, without being really aware of it, told Seb to go ask Julia if she was sure she didn't need any more help, and Seb trotted off like the wise little child he was.

"Silas? What's happened?" Severus asked, scared really, even though he didn't want to admit it. And Silas had to, he had to show Severus, even though their father had asked him not to, he had to, because only Severus would be able to make it all alright again. Only Severus would know what to do. Silas needed Severus, Silas needed Severus to make it okay to breathe again.

Silently Silas handed over the letter and Severus frowned at it but took it just as quietly and scanned the contents. When he looked up again Silas didn't think he had ever seen such a murderous expression on his face.

It was a while before Severus seemed to calm down enough.

"It's alright. I'll fix it. Don't worry Si, I'll fix it." Severus said softly and opened his arms for Silas to fly into and burrow his face into Severus' shirt, trying to seek out that comfort that only Severus could give him. The safety of being with the only real kind of father he had truly ever known.

* * *

><p>"Severus? What's wrong?" Severus heard Julia whisper in the darkness of their bedroom that night. The rest of the evening had been spent with Julia making dinner with Seb while Severus sat in the living room playing chess with Silas, but neither had been really paying attention. Dinner had been quiet and the after dinner activities were just as silent; Seb drawing, Silas and Severus reading and Julia doing paperwork.<p>

If Julia had any disappointment over the fact that her first night living with Severus wasn't more boisterous and celebratory she hadn't shown it.

It was now past eleven and everyone had retired. Julia had been in the bathroom when Severus had come into the bedroom, stripped, crawled into the bed and turned off the light; completely forgetting about Julia.

When the bathroom door had opened she'd stopped in the doorway for a long while, and had then cautiously crept to the other side of the bed and crawled in, she hadn't approached him in the bed, rather laying on the extreme other side.

They'd been quiet for at least half an hour and Severus had thought her asleep but evidently she wasn't, she was worried; he could tell even though she was trying to hide it.

Severus couldn't find it within himself to tell, couldn't find the words to express everything that had happened, everything that he felt. And so he opened his mouth hoping something would at least tumble out and was more shocked than even Julia when a pained sob escaped his throat. Within a second Julia was by his side, sitting up and leaning against the headboard while she cradled his head against her chest and Severus began to cry.

He hadn't cried in he didn't know how long, but here he was crying his soul out because his father had sent Silas a letter.

Severus couldn't understand the feelings that coursed through his body. At the forefront there was hate so intense that Severus thought he might throw up from it. Hate for the man that he felt had killed his mother. Hate for the man that had almost killed Severus numerous amounts of times. Hate for the man that hadn't left them earlier and had stayed as long as he had to make their lives hell. But there was also resentment that he'd left; left Severus to become the man of the house, to take care of his little brother in a way no brother should have to, to look after his mother. Resentment that his father hadn't been their when their mother had died, that he didn't care enough to be there, to see her. Resentment that the man had had already moved on while his family were still left reeling from his influence.

But at the back of all that there was a tinge of longing, longing for a father, longing for family and even further down a spark of jealousy that his father didn't even want to talk or see Severus himself but Silas. Silas, his little brother, who his father had barely known. It wasn't fair and Severus couldn't understand what to feel, what to think, what to do and so he cried, cried into the warm and safe cocoon of Julia's arms while she pressed soft kisses to the top of his head and spoke soothing nonsense that did more to soothe his heart than anything else could have.

After what felt like eternity Severus could finally breathe again. Julia tightened her hold on him for a moment as if to reassure him that she was still there and then continued to hold him to her, stroking a hand through his hair. "Tell me, Sev." She said softly, he could hardly hear her it was that quiet.

"I can't." Severus gasped out, he really didn't know where to begin with it. "Here." He reached to the bedside table and took out the letter before settling back into Julia's embrace. He handed her the letter and with a wave of his hand the lights turned on to a dim shadow, just enough for Julia to see by.

She took the letter without a word and continued carding her fingers through Severus' hair, not ever erring in the motion as she read through the letter. When she was done she placed the letter on her bedside table and kissed Severus' forehead. She moved so that she was now lying down in the bed and pulled Severus with her. Lying facing each other on her sides Severus wrapped his body around hers and she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him tightly. The lights turned off again.

"Was your father an abusive alcoholic, Sev?" She asked after a few minutes, quietly as if she said it loudly it would be true. Severus just nodded. "Did he hurt you?" Severus nodded. "Your mother?" Severus nodded. "Silas?" Severus shook his head. Julia sighed and he felt her trembling. "I'm sorry." She said after a moment. Severus looked up into her face and saw tears glistening in the moonlight on her cheeks. Softly he kissed those cheeks, kissed those tears away until he placed a kiss on each of her closed eyes.

"Thank you." He finally said.

"I love you Sev." She whispered against his cheek, her breath ghosting across his face.

"Always." Severus whispered back and gently pressed his lips to hers in a chaste kiss that still managed to be the most intimate and soul bearing they had ever shared. Sleep was a long time in coming for them, they continued to pepper soft kisses on each other's faces until they eventually dozed off in the other's arms.

* * *

><p>Ah, that makes me sad... I updated so quickly because well I really wanted to get to the meat of the story. We're nearing the end and I find myself becoming infinitely more excited about it.<p>

So now you know who's come back from the past. What'd you think? Review me because it makes me happy!

**Mira SeverusSirius Black-Snape**: Thanks! But for how much longer will Sev be happy? Who can say?

**anf600**: Yes, Lucius does have a dark mark and it will all be explained eventually, sorry if it's a little confusing now, but don't worry it'll all make sense eventually. And no, you're right it wasn't exactly explained just yet why Seb was exactly so clever but we'll get to that too... eventually. haha sorry for the non-sensical story, but it'll work out in the end anyway, :D Thank you for the review.

**LemonDropsWoolSocks**: Dear Young One, I wholeheartedly agree with you. Silas is the biggest lovable idiot that ever did exist and every time I write him I can't stop laughing. Yes, Seb won't forever be acting like someone with multiple personality disorder. And you are so sweet, upset that the chapter is ending and all that! So here you are an early update, don't be too sad. It's nice when you finish a story that you really love sometimes it puts everything to rest I think. And you never know perhaps you may be able to persuade me to add more to the story, you do seem to be rather cunning, I've already added things into the story that I hadn't even thought of because of you without even realising it, so kudos to you! haha. Don't worry if Julia's lack of reaction to Charlie's comments disappointed you in this chapter Julia will at least try in the next chapter in enact some sort o revenge. Nah, don't be hatein' your story yet, or you'll never finish it. And I think I might enjoy a Minerva/Severus, because in theory I really like the pairing but none that I have read so far were done well enough to make it into my heart and so therefore I tend to steer away from it, but if yours is done well then I'll probably love it, as long as there's a little humour in it of course, because without humour what's the point of reading or writing or even living really? Wo, I'm in a philosophical mood. Oh and I just read your one-shot I left a review for you, I loved it so much!

**cara-tanaka**: There you go, did you like it?

Review me because you know you love me.


	13. A Birthday Showdown

**Chapter Thirteen - A Birthday Showdown**

"C'est mon anniversaire! Je suis six! C'est mon anniversaire! Je suis six! C'est mon anniversaire! Je suis six!" Seb chanted while jumping up and down on his father and Julia's bed. The two were still asleep but were fast approaching wakefulness thanks to Seb's activities.

"Seb! It's too early." Severus groaned.

"No, it's not. It's my birthday! It's never too early on my birthday. C'est mon anniversaire! Je suis six! C'est mon anniversaire! Je suis six! C'est mon anniversaire! Je suis six! C'est mon anniversaire! Je suis six!"

"Alright I know, I know." Severus grumbled and began to move out of bed. Julia apparently was awake as well. She had moved to lying on her back and had her eyes wide open, as if she opened them wide enough people would believe she had really returned to wakefulness. Severus couldn't help but laugh. "Come on then Seb, let's go make you breakfast and give Julia a minute to wake up."

Severus stood up and swept the boy off the bed, throwing him over his shoulder and running out of the room. Seb squealed all the way downstairs and into the kitchen.

"Okay what do you want for breakfast?" Severus asked, finally putting the boy down.

Seb put his right hand's index finger to his chin and tapped it for a moment, seemingly deep in thought. Before he turned to face Severus with an enlightened grin on his face.

"Bacon! French Toast! Syrup! Please Daddy!" The boy demanded more than asked really but Severus let it slide and began preparing the breakfast Seb had chosen while Seb sat at the table and watched his father, a huge grin never leaving his face. "When's everyone coming?" Seb asked for what Severus thought might have been the millionth time.

"At two o'clock Sebastian. You know that now, stop asking before I accidently forget to put syrup on your bacon." Severus threatened with a devious smile. Seb gasped, horrified and promptly shut his mouth making his teeth click together.

Severus laughed.

"Happy birthday Seb." Julia said, coming into the kitchen, showered and dressed and actually awake. She placed a small kiss on the top of the boy's head and the child gave her a warm smile.

"Thanks!"

"You wanna help me bake your cake after breakfast?" She sat down next to him and joined in on the 'Severus Watching.'

"Is it chocolate?" Seb looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Yes, just like we picked out." Julia gave him an indulgent smile and the boy grinned.

"YES!" He shouted.

Julia laughed and ruffled the boy's hair.

"SEBASTIAN SEVERUS SNAPE!" There was a loud shout from the top of the stairs and the whole kitchen descended in silence. The shout was followed up by quick feet running to the kitchen and then Silas was framed by the doorway, his face completely serious and almost frighteningly angry.

"It is your birthday today." By contrast he now spoke so lowly and with such menace it would send the strongest man weak at the knees. And then Silas broke into a huge delighted grin and came up to Seb and thwacked him on the back, "So HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" He exclaimed and Sebastian descended into giggles, lunging into Silas and hugging the older boy tight.

Severus just shook his head and continued cooking, Julia laughed softly and continued 'Severus Watching.'

When two o'clock came around Seb was so excited he was practically bouncing off the walls in the sitting room, Silas lounging casually in an armchair with a smirk firmly implanted as the child-hurricane tore through the room. Julia was hiding in the kitchen, she was trying to hide her nervousness at being in a house full of her new family's closest friends and family. It was a daunting event; she hoped that they liked her.

She checked on the cake in the fridge for the millionth time, making sure the 'Happy Birthday Seb' icing in the dead centre still sat straight, that the dollops of chocolate mousse on the outer edges of the cake still held shape. She sighed and tried to smile when she saw the cake was still perfect and that the rest of the banquet prepared for the party was still ready. But then she began to worry again, worry that something would go wrong, that they wouldn't like her and then Severus would see how wrong she really was for him and his family and would kick her out.

"Relax." Came the softly spoken command from Severus as he approached her from behind and slunk his arms around her waist. She leaned back against his chest, trying to breathe deeply.

"I'm trying." She whispered.

"It'll be alright. We love you and they'll love you, I promise. Nothing will go wrong." He kissed her temple.

"You sure you won't change your mind about marrying me after all?" She sought reassurance.

He chuckled softly and pressed gentle kisses against her neck. "No I won't change my mind, and to prove it I picked something up for you when I went shopping for Seb's presents."

He removed one of his hands from where they sat holding her tightly to him and reached inside his trouser pocket, returning with a small black velvet box. He put it in her hands and then his hand moved back to holding her tightly against him.

Julia couldn't stop from breathing harder when she realised what it was. She loved Severus and she didn't need a ring, and didn't mind if it was the ugliest thing in the universe. Okay, well, she did, but she knew it wouldn't be because Severus chose it and he just wouldn't do that to her. But she was a girl and she had always dreamt of the ring that would tie her to the man that she truly loved, that truly loved her, had dreamt of having that kind of physical token of love. And besides, she really liked diamonds.

Carefully she eased open the lid and couldn't help the breath that caught in her throat. It was a delicate, white gold band in which dozens of tiny white diamonds where inlaid along the length of the band until they disappeared in the velvety folds of the box. The diamonds ran to the top of the ring where they encircled a golden coloured pearl. The ring was small, but it was beautiful, it was classy and refined but beautiful and Julia couldn't help the little tear that leaked out of the corner of her right eye, Severus kissed it away. He lifted his right hand from her waist and carefully removed the ring from its velvet bed. Julia saw that the diamonds wrapped around the entire band. Julia lifted her left hand and Severus slowly pushed the ring on her finger and it fit perfectly, making Julia laugh.

Abruptly she turned in Severus' arms and peppered his face with kisses, punctuating every kiss with a murmured but exultant 'Thank you.'

Severus laughed and took Julia's face in his own hands, stilling her movements. "Anything for you." He stared into her eyes, making her see the truthfulness behind those words and when he saw those hazel eyes that leant more towards green than brown tear up slightly with the realisation of the depth of his feelings he leant in and gave her the softest kiss she could have imagined.

"Thank you." She whispered when they pulled apart. She didn't know what she was thanking him more for, the beautiful ring, the fact that he had taste in women's jewellery, that he had set her fears at ease by giving her some kind of physical token of his promise to her, the fact that he had finally given her a ring, the fact that he was such a good kisser, the fact that he always managed to know what to say, the fact that he loved her. It was just too much so she did the only thing she could, she thanked him and smiled a smile so bright anyone would have thought it was her birthday and not Sebastian's.

And that was when the first guest knocked on the door.

"They're here! They're here!" Seb shouted coming into the kitchen and jumping up and down.

Julia laughed, "Well, let's answer the door then."

Severus and she had decided that she should answer the guests' knocks, in order to demonstrate to everyone the place in which Julia occupied in that house and in that family. Julia suspected, however, it may have been more of Severus' wish to show the neighbour who'd called Julia his whore that Julia was much more than someone that Severus liked to take to his bedroom. And Julia couldn't find it within her to begrudge him this small, petty revenge he had devised. And so she with Seb hopping up and down by her side went to the front door and let Lucius, Narcissa and their son Draco in to the house.

"Hello, I'm Julia." Julia said, introducing herself to Narcissa and Draco who she was only meeting for the first time.

Draco cringed into his mother's skirts but he did give her a shy smile. "Narcissa." Narcissa gave her a gentle smile and layed her hand upon Draco's head, "And my son, Draco."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Julia opened the door further and ushered the family in. As soon as they were in the door Seb started chattering a mile a minute at Draco before grabbing the boy's hand and yanking him into the sitting room which had been magically enlarged for the occasion. Julia tried not to think too much about what magic was and how it was literally shattering her world apart and just tried to accept the odd things that occurred around the house by breathing deeply and pretending it was perfectly normal.

Julia had just shown them into the sitting room where Severus and Silas were waiting when the door rung again.

She hastened to answer and found Mrs. Martin on the front step, smiling broadly and holding a bright orange wrapped present. Julia smiled and showed the woman through, hoping the other muggle didn't realise the magical changes that had happened to the house since the previous day.

There was a steady stream of guests arriving for the next fifteen minutes, mostly wizards and witches who Julia didn't know but were old friends or acquaintances of Severus, Silas and Sebastian.

When the door rung for the final time Julia knew who it would be, there was only one set of guests yet to arrive and she wondered why the guests that lived the closest would be the last to arrive.

On the steps stood a tallish man a woman and two girls, their children she assumed though the girls didn't look much like the mother, she did however recognise the older girl as Belle who had assisted her move the previous day, under the guise to be helpful but Severus and she had known that the two teenagers just wanted to spend as much time as possible with each other.

"Hello, you must be Emily and Nick, and Casey. Hello Belle." She smiled and showed them through.

"Sorry we're late but we were waiting for Charlie and she's still not ready so we decided just to go on ahead without her. I'm sure she'll be here soon." Emily said, smiling apologetically.

Julia gave her best gracious hostess smile and brushed the inconvenience off and showed the family through. The sitting room was by now quite full and the guests had spilled out into the dining room and the back porch.

Seb was playing in the back garden with Draco and a few other young children that Julia only had a vague idea of their names.

The platters of small treats and savouries that she had set about the entertaining areas were fast decreasing so she made one round of filling up the platters and making sure enough drinks were set out for the consumption of the guests before someone once again announced their presence at the door.

This time Julia stopped at the mirror in the hall and made sure her makeup was still flawless. She wanted to make a really good impression on this woman, wanted to make sure that the women would be eating her rash offensive words by the time she left later this evening.

Her hair was still perfectly lying straight down her back, her turquoise summer dress that just reached her knees gave her the appearance of casual but also sophisticated. Finally deciding that she was perfect she answered the door on the woman that Severus had described as being nothing more than plain and felt like nothing more than punching him in the face.

This girl was beautiful and Julia suddenly felt sick. She had long luxurious hair that fell down to her waist in loose auburn ringlets. Her chocolaty brown eyes were soft and warm. Her skin was golden and flawless. She was shorter than Julia and her stature was petite. Julia choked on the inside and wished she could die.

The girl was dressed in a red summer dress of similar style to Julia's but it was a bit shorter and showed a little more of her shapely leg.

But for all that, she was still a girl and Julia hoped that would be alright, hoped that because no one could ever describe Julia Hall as anything but a woman or a lady that it would be some kind of superiority over the girl; hoped that she wouldn't have to feel completely invisible and vulnerable when standing next to this girl. Hoped that Julia's own maturity would be something that Severus desired, hoped that who Julia was rather than what she was was enough to keep Severus in love with her and not even begin to see the beauty of the girl next door.

"Hello, you must be Charlie." Julia, of course did not let her moment of uncertainty show and smiled welcomingly at the girl. The girl however looked shocked and her smile was a little slow in coming.

"Yes, and you are?" The girl was speaking politely as she stepped over the threshold.

"I'm Julia, Severus' fiancée. Everyone else is through here." Julia made sure to use her left hand when she gestured to the sitting room entrance and couldn't help the childish glee she felt when Charlie's eyes widened slightly at the sight of the beautiful ring that resided upon Julia's finger now.

"Thank you." Charlie murmured eventually before almost running into the sitting room.

Julia could help the smirk which only widened when she saw Severus coming out of the kitchen with a raised eyebrow having obviously been witness to the whole scene.

"That was rather interesting." His tone tried for disapproving but Julia could feel the barely disguised humour.

Julia scoffed, "I did exactly what you wanted me to. Don't pretend that putting me on door duty was for any other purpose than practicing whatever kind of small revenge on that girl." Julia turned to face Severus who merely inclined his head and chuckled slightly.

"Alright you caught me. Am I that transparent."

Julia laughed. "Don't worry. Only to me."

He smiled and hugged her quickly before she playfully pushed him away. "Sev! We're hosting a party." She exclaimed in mock outrage.

Severus gave her a confused expression. "Isn't that what you do at parties?"

She smirked. "Not at your six year old son's birthday party you don't. Now come on, let's mingle." Her smile turned a little insecure but Severus gave her a reassuring look, put his arm around her waist and directed her into the throng of party guests.

* * *

><p>Okay so not really a showdown, but what were you expecting? A mud fight? Julia's all class!<p>

Anywho thanks to my lovely consistent reviewers and everyone else as well for reading, please if you have a moment spare drop me a review. :D

**cara-tanaka**: Haha thank you! I hope this satisfied your need somewhat! :D

**twilight1987**: Yes, Charlie is a tricky character. She, herself, is a little confused but it'll all become clear eventually. Probably not in this story but definitely in the sequel.

**Mira SeverusSirius Black-Snape:** Still here, haha, but school has started up again and I have exams in six weeks so I'm a little off my feet! I'm on the last mile! Can't wait for it to finally finish! But still here, and available if you wanna chat!

**hani:** I know right! Sibling rivalries and small plots of revenge are my favorite thing to read and write! Yeah I really threw you for a loop there didn't I, everyone thought Tobias was dead!

**emi-chan74:** Yeah that made me sad too, what about Sev? I'm so glad you love my writing! Thank you so much! It does my heart good!

**BriJusLevrr:** Thank you dear! :D

**LemonDropsWoolSocks:**

WO!

That's commitment for you, writing me a ten thousand character review in which you discuss a hell of a lot of stuff. Mostly crap but you know, it's highly amusing to read. I have no where to begin, I don't even remember everything you said. So I'm just gonna respond to the stuff I remember and if I forget anything, well, I suppose you'll have to review me again! haha

Yeah I know, my Silas grin is pretty much always present when I write this story, I don't think I'd still be writing this if SIlas wasn't in it, or if his character was different, he's the comedic support but also an important facet that actually makes the story worth while, well in my opinion anyway.

Interesting theory on farting kittens, I have not known of such an occurrence, I have however fully experienced a smelly old orange cat who likes to terrorise me! My sister's cat who when he was acquired into the family firmly found his position as the attacker of young children. I, in my eight years of age could not round a corner without the cat jumping out from behind some ornament or another and sinking his claws into my youthful skin. Oh do I detest that animal. And since that time his real owner (my sister) has moved away and left her 'charming' animal with us so I am still terrorised by him ten years on! Sorry went off in a tangent there, but I think under the circumstances you can forgive me. I do not however bear a grudge against all felines just the stupid orange one!

Humor that comes in waves in a story is just as effective as constant humor, if not more so. Don't worry I'm sure your story will be absolutely brilliant!

Now I know I've barely scratched the surface of that massive review but for the life of me I can't remember it all anymore so this'll have to do. But I do have to say that I was laughing my ass off the entire time! Thank you so much! I full on love you! It was brilliant, AND rather nice of you to take so much time to do it, or crazy in any case. Thanks again! :D


	14. Making Up

**Chapter Fourteen - Making Up**

"I'm sorry you know. I was out of line. I would say I didn't mean what I said, but I did mean it, I just didn't know what I was talking about. I know more now, and I regret what I said, I regret thinking that way about you and your fiancée. I was silly and ignorant and immature. I really am sorry. I had no business in saying the things I did." Charlie said later that night as she sat at the kitchen table, nursing a cup of coffee. Julia sat across from her, holding apple juice.

Most of the guests had left, Seb was sleeping already, Draco on a mattress in his room, Draco's parents had already left. Severus was in the living room clearing up, staying away at the request of Julia, Silas was sitting on the back porch on the swing-chair with Belle.

As the guests had trickled out Charlie had hung back until it had become glaringly obvious to Julia that Charlie was waiting around to speak to her, and so she had offered the girl a drink in the kitchen, and constructed a very clear barrier to Severus and Silas to the kitchen.

"I know." Julia said. Her tone was not cold but neither was it warm, it just was. She didn't smile at Charlie but she didn't frown or scowl either, she just looked at her and it was obvious to Julia that it was unnerving the younger woman.

Charlie looked down into her mug for a moment, trying to find her courage in the last dredges of her coffee. She looked up and Julia was curious at the sudden glimmer of hope in those expressive brown eyes.

"Do you think we could start over? Me and you? Pretend I'd never opened my big fat mouth and maybe become friends?" Charlie said.

Julia didn't say anything.

Charlie looked back into her cup again when she continued, "You see it's just that I know I've only known Seb for a couple of months but I love that kid. He's more a part of my life than I ever thought someone else's child could ever be and I don't want to leave him, you know what I mean? But I don't want it to be awkward between me and you because then I may as well leave because this would hurt Seb more than me just leaving. Because I think that Seb may love me just as much as I love him and I don't want to hurt him. And I know you love Seb too, I can see it and Seb loves you as well, so I think that maybe if we could just get along it would be better for Seb, don't you think?"

Julia smiled on the inside as the girl continued to study the table top, the girl seemed to be more mature than Julia had originally thought her.

She allowed the girl to sit in her uncomfortable uncertainty for a few more minutes.

"Yes, I believe you are entirely correct. Sebastian is far more important than this petty squabble. Seb deserves more and if it is within our power to give that to him, we should." Julia said at last and Charlie was more than surprised when she looked up to see that the previously cool countenance had transformed into pure warmth and love.

Charlie smiled, timidly. "Thank you." She said.

Julia nodded. "Well, I don't know about you but I think it's time for bed." Julia stood up and gathered the dirty dishes, placing them in the sink.

Charlie stood up quickly. "Yes, you're right, I should get out of your hair. Thank you. For everything."

Julia nodded. "Severus! Charlie's leaving." Julia called and Severus appeared not a second later.

Severus' face was apprehensive, Julia nodded her head slightly and smiled.

"I want to say sorry to you too Severus. I was wrong, you are a good father and it wasn't any of my business." Charlie said, her tone now was less deferential than it had been when she was speaking to Julia, a little more challenging, as if she was daring Severus to accept her apology.

He just inclined his head. "Apology accepted Miss King."

"Well, goodnight then Julia, Severus, don't worry I'll see myself out," and the girl practically ran out of the kitchen in her haste to escape from the rapidly building awkward situation.

Severus watched her go, once he heard the clicking of the front door closing he turned back to Julia who was smiling at him.

"What?" He asked, returning the smile and moving closer to her.

"She likes you." Julia was almost grinning, Severus put his arms around her waist and pulled her into him, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Severus frowned, "What do you mean?"

"Charlie, I think, has a little bit of a crush on you." Julia frowned, "Can't you see it."

"No, of course she doesn't. She's too offensive." Severus scoffed.

Julia laughed softly, "She doesn't realise that she likes you in that way, but she feels something and that's why she lashes out at you. I can see it, and I guess I'm glad that you can't."

"Why?" Severus' frown deepened.

"Because that way you won't get any ideas, and you'll be perfectly happy and content to stay with me." Julia smirked.

"Oh, I don't think you have to worry about that. Even if every other woman on the planet were to suddenly throw themselves at me I wouldn't be interested." Severus pulled her even closer, which was pretty impossible but somehow he found a way.

"Oh really, and why's that?" Julia's smirk grew.

"Because I already have the perfect woman that ever existed, and no one could ever compare to her." Severus leaned in and kissed her forehead.

"Really and who is this mystery girl?"

Severus laughed loudly, "That's for me to know and for you to figure out." Severus leant further in and placed a kiss on Julia's lips.

Julia deepened it, infinitely reassured by Severus' words. Severus pulled back just a little bit so that he could speak against Julia's lips. "I think we should go find the bedroom."

"No, no I think here's good." Julia's voice was filled with lust, mirroring her brain.

"Silas is still awake." His words were belied by his actions as Severus' fingers found the buttons to Julia's dress.

"Mm, don't care." Julia murmured, sitting on the table that the backs of her legs were pressed against.

"About what?" Severus enquired as Julia pulled him to stand in between her legs.

"I don't know." Julia replied and then they forgot how to speak.

Luckily for Severus and Julia or maybe for Silas and Belle they were far more immersed in their own worlds than anything occurring inside.

Belle was half lying on the swing chair, her head cradled against Silas' shoulder, his hand stroking through her silky tresses. They were quiet but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence.

"My dad sent me a letter yesterday." Silas said finally.

"Your dad? I thought that he passed away with your mum?" Belle asked, surprise evident in her tone. Silas couldn't see her face as they both stared out at the garden.

"No. He left after I turned seven."

It was quiet for a moment. "Oh. What happened?" Belle asked in a low voice as if she wasn't sure if she was allowed to ask.

"When Severus was four my dad lost his job. He started drinking heavily then and it affected him badly, he became abusive. Mainly of my mother at that stage, it wasn't long before Severus realised what was happening to his mother every time he was sent from the room. Severus began to refuse to leave and that's when Sev was dragged into it too. When Severus was eight and our mother fell pregnant with me Sev would put himself in between our parents to protect her, and from that time on it was Severus who always attracted my father's attention when he drank too much." Silas' voice hitched and he couldn't speak for a moment, when he finally got control of his voice he continued, "My dad found work during that time but never anything permanent, he was constantly looking for something else, and the fact that he was blind drunk most of the time didn't help him any.

"When I was born my father wasn't given a chance to direct any of his violence toward me because between my mother and brother I was always protected and there was always someone around to deflect the attention away from me. But it was terrible. It was toxic, that environment. And every time I saw my father beat the shit out of Severus it felt like it was me too. By the time Sev was fifteen he'd almost died more times than any of us could count. And that's when my father took off. He just left one afternoon after waking up from a particularly bad bender and walked out, we hadn't seen nor heard from him since." Silas fell into silence and Belle just squeezed his hand tightly between hers.

After a while Silas spoke again, "Severus has done more for me than anyone, than he ever had to do. He's been my real father since he was eight years old. It wasn't fair on him, it wasn't fair on my mother either to have to rely on her eight year old son to protect her. I think that hurt her more than anything, to have to allow Severus to take care of her so that she could care for me. By that time my mum was already sick. Weakened from years of abuse, she was already so frail anyway. She died six months ago, you know."

"Oh Si, I didn't realise it had been that soon." Belle turned her face to look up at him and was saddened but not really surprised when she saw tears leaking down his cheeks.

"Yeah, but it was a long time coming. I'm surprised she lasted that long." Silas gave her a tiny smile.

"So your dad contacted you?" Belle sat up properly so that she could look Silas in the eyes.

"Yeah, he sent me a letter. Told me he was sorry and he wanted to make it up to us, told me he'd cleaned up and everything. He also told me not to tell Sev that he'd contacted me because he didn't think he could take that confrontation yet." The derision in Silas' tone on the last sentence was tangible.

"Really? Does Severus know?" Belle frowned.

Silas scoffed, "Of course, I told him the minute he walked into the room. You don't understand, Severus is my father, my brother, my family. He's looked after me my whole life and I could never not tell him something so huge. I depend on him." Silas admitted the last in a voice so quiet Belle almost believed she'd imagined it. "I gave him the letter to read, he was so angry."

"Why?" Belle asked, she felt guilty because she couldn't help but be curious in Silas' family drama and to her it felt like she was betraying Silas by being so interested.

"I don't know, I guess because Dad really hurt him, really tried to break Sev's soul. But he would never have won, not when Sev was living to protect me and Mum, Sev told me that once, when Dad had left. I think he was also a little hurt that Dad was trying to make up with me but not with Sev, which I can't blame him for being. He hurt Sev far more than he did me and if there's anyone he needs to make it up to it's Sev, not that he'll ever really succeed that is."

"I'm sorry Si." Belle moved to sit on her knees and leaned up to kiss Silas' forehead.

"Thank you." Silas murmured.

"What for?" Belle kissed his hand that she still held within hers.

"For listening to me. For just listening. I needed to just talk it out. Thank you." Silas gave her a sad sort of smile and kissed her.

Ten minutes later and they were interrupted with a soft clearing of the throat. "Belle, I think perhaps it's time for you to go home." Came Severus' smooth voice.

Belle pushed Silas away and couldn't help the blush that crept up her cheeks. "Sorry."

Severus gave her a reassuring smile. "It's alright. Silas walk her home, you have ten minutes." Severus left the porch through the kitchen door.

Silas walked Belle home, holding her hand. He kissed her on the doorstep and she smiled at him and told him that she'd always listen to him when he needed her.

By the time he got home the lights were all out except for the night light in the upstairs hallway.

When he opened his bedroom door he was surprised to find Severus sitting at his desk chair, waiting for him. Severus' elbows rested on the desk, his head in his hands.

"Sev?" Silas asked cautiously, walking into the room.

Severus looked up, and nodded. "Sit, Silas." and gestured to the bed.

.Silas sat on the bed and faced Severus.

"What is it Severus?" Silas asked after a moment of silence.

Severus took a deep breath. "It's about Tobias."

"Oh." Silas nodded a little.

"Yes, oh. Silas I need you to tell me what you want. Do you want to make up with Tobias, because if you do I'll arrange it, I'll not say anything. I'll let you get on with it. But if you don't then when I talk to him I'll instruct him to leave you alone as well as me."

"Do you not want to?" Silas asked.

Severus shook his head. "I can't, not now, maybe not ever, but I just can't. I'm sorry. But if _you_ do, I'll understand." Severus' face was expressionless but Silas couldn't miss the look in his eyes. It was almost hopeful, like Severus was hoping Silas would say no that Silas wouldn't want to know the man either, that Silas would support him, that Silas would show loyalty to Severus in standing against the man that had so deeply scarred him, and Silas wondered how he could ever deny him that. How he could ever say that yes he wanted to know the man that was actually his father not the brother who'd raised him as his son. That yes he in fact wanted to see what it would be like to have a real father. That yes he wanted to see the man again, and forgive him because this burden of hate was too heavy for Silas to bear.

So Silas shook his head and found a smile for his brother, "No. We don't need him. We've done just fine without him. Tell him he's too late." And that smile that Severus gave him made the lie worth it. It was worth seeing Severus so happy and relieved and it almost surprised Silas that it was that intense; that Severus was so desperate to have absolutely nothing to do with the man and that made Silas feel even guiltier, that he had been willing to reconcile with a man who'd hurt Severus more than anyone else could ever have hoped to.

Severus left after a moment, telling Silas goodnight and that he'd take care of everything, there was nothing to worry about, before re-joining Julia in bed.

It took Silas a long time to fall asleep that night, his life didn't seem fair and yet it was better than he could have hoped for six months ago when his mother had been on her death bed and Severus was depressed from the severe absence of Seb in his life.

* * *

><p>And TA-DA! Chappie 14 my lovvies!<p>

Hope you liked it, if you have a second a review would be much appreciated.

**cara-tanaka**: Haha! Thank you for always reviewing. I'm glad you liked the last chapter. :)

**emi-chan74**: Thank you, and yes I love Silas too, with all my heart. He's a sweetie pie! :D

**Mira SeverusSirius Black-Snape**: Thank you! :D

**LemonDropsWoolSocks**: Dear Young One, I am ever so sorry that I pulled the most irrelevant things out of The Super Massive Huge Review (known forever now as TSMHR) but they stuck most. They had incredible sticking power, well done! Ahhh dear me, sorry I get so mixed up between female wrestling and mud fights. I promise I'll try better next time! Excellent use of alliteration if I do say so myself, I fully agree on the assessment of Julia's own brand of revenge. Oh dear and that must disappoint you, we didn't really deal with Tobias this chapter did we? Oh well, next chapter should satisfy you then I think! Haha, and ice? No thank you, I relish in the burn! But yes, I'm evil and cruel but oh doesn't it just give you an insatiable curiosity for what's gunna happen next? Brilliant to hear the progress on your story. I'm really looking forward to you publishing it, I can't wait! Pottermore? No, I have not. What is it? Just another HP FF site? You're such a die hard Sevvie lover aren't ya! Haha it took me reading your review like ten times to get the pointed joke at the end. I was like 'what's not so fun?' but I get it now, you're being mean because I'm not telling you what's going to happen! Ah well I guess I'll just have to wait for the end of the story for you to tell me that joke. But on the last chapter's review you have to tell me that joke or I'm gonna cry, I swear! :D

**twilight1987**: Yeah, they are happy ducklings aren't they. Don't worry, after chapter sixteen time is gonna speed up a little and you'll see what'll happen soon I'm sure. :D

**hani**: Yeah I thought Julia was rather clever. Aww that Sebbie, you just gotta love him! :)

**Celestialuna**: Thanks!


	15. Confronting Tobias

**Chapter Fifteen - Confronting Tobias**

"Severus! Good morning!" Lucius said cheerily as he greeted the man in his drawing room that Sunday. Severus had just brought Draco home who had immediately run upstairs to find his mother and regale her with tales of his stay with Seb and his family.

"It's after twelve Lucius." Severus said dryly.

"Is it?" Lucius grinned and Severus lifted an eyebrow, Lucius was hardly ever in such a good mood.

"What's wrong with you?" Severus said, taking the cup of tea from the man.

"Wrong? Nothing's wrong. Everything's perfect." Lucius sipped his tea.

"Really?" Severus looked over the rim of his tea cup.

Lucius chuckled a little, "Let's just say that it's good for any marriage to have a night away from the children."

Severus frowned for a moment before he caught onto the innuendo and Lucius laughed as Severus' eyes widened comically. "That was probably more information than needed Lucius." Severus remarked once he had regained control of his face.

Lucius smirked, "Perhaps, but it was more than satisfying to see your face." Severus rolled his eyes. "What is it Severus? You just became engaged to a woman that you love, she's just moved in with you, you should be up here on cloud nine with me." Lucius added more sugar to his tea and stirred it in.

Severus sighed, "Tobias contacted Silas. I'm going there after I finish here to set the man straight, tell him to keep out of our lives."

Lucius choked on his tea, "He's alive!"

Severus snorted, "Apparently, and he's cleaned himself up, remarried and is looking to reconcile with Silas."

"Silas? Not you?"

"No, he told Silas in the letter that he didn't think he could cope with having to deal with me as well just yet. I don't give a rat's hairy testicle about what he can cope with." Severus placed his cup on the table a little heavier than was really necessary.

"No need to be crass Severus." Lucius smirked lightly. "Do you want me to come with you?"

Severus shook his head and sent his brother a grateful smile. "Julia already asked, but I told her 'no' as well. I think this is something I need to do myself. Get it out of my system."

Lucius nodded, "Just as long as getting it out of your system doesn't involve killing the man and getting yourself thrown in Azkaban."

"Why on earth would I throw away my life when it's finally worth living?" Severus chuckled mirthlessly. "No, that man ruined my childhood; he has no place ruining the rest of my life." Severus stood up. "I have to be going. I don't want to be out long. Julia and I haven't really celebrated her moving in yet and we have to go back to work tomorrow."

Lucius scoffed, "Why work?"

"Because some of us aren't part of the richest families in all of Wizarding Britain." Severus rolled his eyes.

"Didn't Potter leave Seb all his money, that's old money Sev, probably close to the Malfoy estate in size and value." Lucius stood up as well.

"It is, almost equal. I had it documented when I found it was left to Seb and I haven't seen nor touched any of it since. That's Seb's money for Seb to use when he's old enough, not mine. I'll talk to you next week, I've seen you too much this week, I feel like I've seen you more than Julia and no offence but that disgusts me slightly." Severus grimaced.

Lucius laughed so loudly Severus thought his eardrum would split in half. "If you really wanted me Severus I'm sure we could arrange something. I'd marry you any day." Lucius joked and Severus left the manor without another word, his friend really was just too much after he'd gotten lucky.

* * *

><p>Severus gulped; he couldn't remember ever feeling quite as nervous as he did standing on the footpath on the edge of the lawn of Number 17 Holmes Road. The lawn was a tiny patch of deep green and the brick row house beyond it was old but well looked after. He looked down at the address written on the back of the letter and checked it again even though he knew it was right, he'd memorised it from the first moment he'd read it.<p>

Severus shook his head in an attempt to clear it. He was angry. His father was a horrible man and it didn't matter what the letter said, Severus had to tell him to go away because his father had almost killed him. His father didn't love him, his father had hurt him too much and Severus couldn't allow him to hurt him anymore.

With new resolve Severus tucked the letter back into his trouser pocket. He'd decided that he had to look well off for his visit with his father but not as if he was trying to make an impression. He wanted to clearly show his father that he didn't need him. So Severus wore grey trousers and a deep blue dress shirt that's sleeves were rolled to his elbows. Severus' hair was tied back as usual.

It only took Severus two strides to reach the steps on the other side of the lawn and four smaller steps to stand in front of the wooden red door. Severus didn't hesitate when he knocked because he knew if he did then he would likely end up not knocking at all and just running away.

There was no answer at first and Severus' heart rate began to slow down, maybe the man wasn't home. Maybe he'd left, maybe he'd changed his mind after he'd sent that letter, maybe he'd run away before he could be saddled with children again. Severus had never experienced such a mixed feeling of relief and disappointment.

But then all emotion and all cognizant thought were wiped out of Severus' list of capabilities as the door swung open. Standing in the well-lit hallway was a man that was perhaps two inches shorter than Severus. His hair that Severus once knew to be the deepest black was now iron grey and balding. The hooked nose was a little larger and little more hooked, the black eyes were a little wider, they looked cleaner since the last time Severus had seen them; like there was an actual thinking mind behind them not just an alcohol soaked handful of nerves.

His shoulders were a little stooped and years of drinking and neglect had left the man the worse for wear. He had a rather large stomach, and his face was covered in age lines. Severus noticed that the laughing lines were extremely few and shallow, as if he'd only learned late in life how to smile.

The man frowned at Severus for a long time. Not saying anything, studying Severus just like Severus was studying him.

Finally he cleared his throat, "Can I help you? Did Mindy send you? Did you want to leave a donation?" His voice was deep and gravelly, but soft.

Severus didn't say anything, Severus couldn't say anything. This man, his father, Tobias, was an upstanding member of society and that irked Severus more than anything. It made him angry, so angry and he just wanted to scream and shout; to hurt the man just as much as he'd hurt Severus but the vitriol was so huge and was so busy building up inside of him that Severus found he couldn't quite open his mouth.

The man's frown deepened. "Because if she did, I'm afraid you'll have to come back later. My wife isn't here at the moment and she's the one that deals with all the money. Haven't a head for it myself." The man tried a smile.

"How dare you." Severus finally managed and the man took half a step back at the sudden expression of abject fury on Severus' face.

Tobias' smile faded and he frowned harder. "I'm sorry?"

"How dare you." Severus repeated, he was speaking quietly but so vehemently he may as well have been shouting from the top of his lungs. Severus stepped closer to Tobias, invading the man's personal space. "How fucking dare you send him that shit you call an apology. You have no right! No right to speak to him, to instruct him not to tell me that you want to see him. You have no right to him. He's mine, my family, he belongs to me. You chose your path years ago and it's too late for you to back step now. Stay out of our lives!" Severus growled.

The man blanched a little until curiosity took over any fear he may have felt, "Sev?" He said.

"Sev? Sev? You don't have the right or the honour to call me that. Not even fucking Severus. Stay away from us, don't contact us again. We don't need you. We didn't need you then and we fucking don't need you now!" Severus' voice was picking up volume.

"No, I know you don't. Of course not, but I need you. You're my family too." Tobias said softly, as if he was talking to a frightened animal.

"Don't speak to me like that! Like I'm about to fly off the handle, I deserve your respect not your derision! And who the fuck cares anyway about what you need. You didn't give a fuck about what we needed then, and you don't know now either. We hate you, and you're just trying to ruin the lives we've built for ourselves."

Tobias shook his head. "Please. No I'm not. Please I just want to know you and Silas and Sebastian, my grandson, please I want to meet him. Please." Tobias was begging but Severus gained no satisfaction from it.

"Stay away from my family. Sebastian will meet you over my dead body. If I have my way Seb will always think you died long ago. You have no place with us. Leave us alone, and don't contact us again." Severus threw the letter on the ground and stormed off the porch, he had just reached the edge of the lawn when his arm was caught and pulled back.

"Let go of me! You can't bully me anymore! You can't hurt me anymore!" Severus shook the man off and apparated where he stood.

When he landed on the front steps of his own home he forgot how to use his legs, and sat heavily on the upper most step, his legs resting bellow him, elbows resting on his knees and face buried in hands. During the scuffle with Tobias his hair had fallen out and was now covering Severus like a curtain. It was too much; he hadn't been ready to see the man.

"It's okay Daddy, it wasn't time yet. But you will put these feelings away eventually. Grandfather won't hurt you anymore." Severus just about jumped out of his skin when he heard Seb speaking from right next to him, as if Seb had been sitting there the whole time and Severus had just landed next to him. Severus lifted his face from his hands and looked at Seb. Seb's face was serious but his eyes were concerned and soft. The little boy reached up with his hands and cupped Severus' face in them.

"I love you Daddy, and I promise it will be okay. Everything will work out. I promise. There a things that are about to happen but you have to remember through them that I am here always and that I love you alright? It won't be easy, you'll be afraid for a very long time, you'll be sad for a very long time, but it'll work out in the end and you'll be far happier than you ever thought you could be." Seb spoke carefully and slowly like he was laying each word down with careful consideration and precision.

Severus couldn't find anything to say so he just nodded where his face was still being held by Seb.

Seb's smile was so bright Severus couldn't help but return it. Seb pushed Severus' arms off of his own legs and pushed his legs so that they sat on the lowest step before climbing into Severus' lap and resting his head against Severus shoulder. Almost immediately Severus could feel Seb playing with the buttons on his shirt.

Severus smiled fondly at his son before wrapping him tightly in his arms.

"I think I'm starting to like these buttons Daddy. They're not as pretty but they have their own… something. I don't know the word. They're okay too, you know." Seb looked up into Severus' face, trying to communicate what he could not say and as Severus gazed into those eyes he understood what his son was saying.

It didn't matter that the buttons weren't that pretty, weren't showy or elegant, they had their own purpose and their own value and they were just as important as the pretty ones. Severus wasn't quite sure why this revelation was important but he knew that it was; that it would have some bearing on the times ahead of Severus that Sebastian promised would be hard.

And as Severus sat on the front steps to his house with his son in his arms it all suddenly made sense to him. The reason why Seb was such a powerful empath wasn't just because he was a powerful wizard, his son, his little boy was a Seer.

* * *

><p>Hi all! I thought I'd update early because well I finished chapter seventeen earlier than i thought I would and am now writing eighteen so I though I'd treat you all a bit, and I know some of you have been waiting for this particular chapter for a while now!<p>

Please, if you have a moment drop me a review!

**cara-tanaka**: Thank you! :)

**Mira SeverusSirius Black-Snape**: Great! Thanks! I'm glad you liked it so much! :)

**LemonDropsWoolSocks**: Dear Young One, I apologize for my tardiness and making you wait for EIGHT whole days for chapter fourteen, I sincerely hope this early update makes up for it. Yeah with the whole Charlie thing I wanted it to become more obvious that Charlie is struggling with her feelings for a man she barely knows and feelings she doesn't really understand without it being to big of distraction from the story and Julia is so good at providing easy outs for me! I'm gonna start worrying pretty soon about this love you have for Julia, haha! But yeah Belle has finally actually had some sort of role to play but you know she's Silas' first girlfriend so things are going to be pretty awkward and not exactly perfect, this is not one of those stories where the first person that the characters ever date is their life long mate, that doesn't happen a lot in real life and it isn't going to happen here, I don't think. And OMG I wish I knew about Pottermore before! I'm sooooo incredibly jealous! I need to get on that site! Come October I'm going to be addicted to my computer screen (more than I am now) even though that's right in the middle of my exams. But who needs exams when you have Harry Potter? Not me, that's for sure! Don't worry Astarte's foregrounding will happen soon, about next chapter I'd say (was that just a hint? I think it might have been.). Haha are you trying to offer me an option of animal in your story because you're trying to make me feel guilty for putting a snake in this one? I have an idea, if I turn Astarte into some kind of mini dragon thing (so that Harry can still speak to it) will you forgive me or are you terribly against dragons too? haha. And to answer your question, no I'm not terrified of bats, they're actually really cool if rather ugly. Although my mother is absolutely terrified of them. We used to have a farm and we had an outside annex for guests and things and one night my mother went in there to make a bed up for one of my uncles and there was a bat in there and she screamed and ran out of the room with her hands on her head because she was afraid the bat would sit on her head. It was the funniest thing I've ever seen. Haha. Unlike your joke, it was a total yawn-fest! Haha, just not good enough Young One try better next time! Always your mentor, The Great One.

**emi-chan74**: Haha thank you, I try to be consistent with my updating but I'm afraid for some stories like Elusive Reality that seems to be almost impossible! And really? You like Charlie more than Julia? Why? I'm really interested because I've heard mostly the opposite! haha, thank you so much for the review!

**Celestialuna**: Thank you my dear!


	16. Who's Jacob?

**Chapter Sixteen - Who's Jacob?**

It was three weeks later before Seb said anything remotely relating to the future of Snape/Hall family. Julia and he were sitting in the late afternoon sun after a particularly hazardous week for Julia. She'd been all over the place, and she was constantly tired. She blamed the latter on Severus, who couldn't seem to keep it in his pants, he seemed to always be ready lately and if Julia was honest with herself she'd have to admit that she herself was in the exact same position.

She could not explain their sudden insatiable desires for each other. They'd always desired each other of course but this was something more, much more and they found that they couldn't resist.

So summarily Julia was tired, and fell asleep every opportunity she got, including falling asleep on her desk in her office ten minutes before a meeting with the partners. She had not made that meeting and was extremely embarrassed, so much so that she had practically run away from Bruce Minefield, the most senior partner, when he'd walked in her direction.

It was Friday and Seb and she were sitting on a picnic blanket under the big tree that Seb had hid in all those months ago from Charlie. Seb was lying on his stomach, carefully making the lines for the picture he had just began.

Julia was propped up with a few pillows and was reading through her latest case. It was thick and for one of the first times in her life she acknowledged that it was boring her a little, and maybe even causing herself to fall asleep.

Seb was kicking his legs, "When are you going to tell Daddy?" He asked.

Julia looked up from her papers, confused, "Tell him what?"

"About Jacob." Seb clarified, but really not making anything clearer for Julia.

"Who's Jacob?" Julia asked, feeling like she was missing something obvious.

Seb turned around and sat up and looked at Julia like she wasn't mentally capable. "Your son."

Julia laughed, shocked, "What son?"

"That one!" Seb insisted gesticulating to Julia's stomach.

"What?" Julia couldn't think.

"The baby in your tummy! My little brother!" Seb was becoming frustrated.

"I'm… pregnant?" She looked up at the little boy with impossibly wide eyes.

"Of course you are!" Seb sighed, it was like talking to children, honestly!

"Sebastian, watch the tone." Severus chastised coming around the house. He'd just arrived and had heard Seb shouting from the front garden, he hadn't heard words just tones.

Seb blushed, "Sorry." And went back to his drawing.

Julia was holding her stomach and looking at Severus with a mixture of shock, fear and confusion.

"Julia? What's happened? What's wrong?" Severus frowned.

"Seb says I'm pregnant." She blurted.

Severus couldn't help himself, he laughed. Julia stood up and ran around the side of the house. It wasn't until Severus heard the engine of his car start that he realised Julia had removed the keys from his hand.

He ran to the front but the car was already speeding down the road. Severus was more confused than what was really allowed.

"Severus! Ah! I'm glad I've caught you, I've come to a decision. I am going back to Hogwarts!" Silas said, running out the front door towards Severus.

Severus' mind was reeling and it took him a moment to realised what Silas was saying. "What? Are you sure?"

"Yes. It's my last year. I love Hogwarts. I think I should go back." Silas smiled.

Severus nodded. "Train leaves in a week. We'll have to go get your supplies sometime this week. Maybe tomorrow. We'll see."

Silas grinned. "Great!" Silas turned to look down the road where Severus was still staring. "Where'd Julia go?"

"I have no idea." Severus said, baffled.

"What did she say?" Silas asked, not looking away from the road either.

"I laughed, She said 'Seb says I'm pregnant.'" Finally that meaning really sunk in and slowly Severus turned to see Silas who was turning his head towards Severus as well, dawning comprehension plastered on his face. "Shit."

Julia was back fifteen minutes later but she didn't stop when Severus called to her from his place in the living room. She ran right upstairs. Julia couldn't really think, not since Seb had told her she was pregnant, she was just being driven by one objective; to find out for real. She'd driven to the nearest grocery store, bought like a hundred pregnancy tests and was now running upstairs.

She did the first test; it was positive.

She drunk a few glasses of water and did another test after fifteen minutes; it was positive.

Julia slumped on the bathroom floor, shocked beyond belief. She was on the pill!

She wasn't ready for this, she couldn't do this, not yet. This was weird! There was a person, inside of her! This was weird!

And then Julia began to laugh, uncontrollably. She couldn't believe it, she was pregnant! Pregnant with Severus' child! She was filled with so much joy she couldn't believe it; couldn't believe that she was so happy that a parasite had decided to make her uterus its home for the next nine months. And yet she was scared shitless and was having a hard time actually believing that in nine months' time there'd be a tiny baby popping out of her. Only it wouldn't just pop out of her would it, there'd be vast amounts of pain involved. Julia was scared; scared of squeezing a child out of her, scared of being mother to a newborn, scared that she wouldn't be able to do it, scared that she wouldn't be able to carry her baby to term.

And then Julia began to cry because it was all just too much. Too much was happening and she just needed to find some control. It was all moving so fast and she was getting scared and couldn't find the lifejacket, couldn't find the safety net. She would be a horrible mother, she'd be a horrible wife, and she was already a horrible employee. Julia didn't think she could take being horrible at much more. She couldn't breathe, she was freaking out she realised and yet she couldn't stop hyperventilating.

"Julia? You've been in there a long time. Are you alright?" Severus spoke through the door, and Julia gasped trying to find some air.

"Julia?" Severus' tone was a little more worried, a little more urgent and Julia couldn't reply.

"Julia, just answer me." Severus sounded a little panicked and still Julia couldn't answer. Finally Severus said, "I'm coming in." And she heard him mutter something before the lock sprung open and Severus stepped through.

He paused on the threshold for a moment taking in the sight of her having a panic attack on the bathroom floor. Snapping out of it he knelt down beside her and moved her body so that she sat with her head in between her knees.

"Shush, it's alright. Just breathe. Just concentrate on breathing. It's alright." Severus murmured his smooth voice soothing Julia's panic down into manageable portions.

Once she could breathe again Severus sat next to her on the floor, leaning against the wall and pulled Julia into his shoulder, so that her head rested against him, his arm around her shoulders.

"What happened?" Severus asked quietly.

"I took a pregnancy test." She admitted just as quietly.

Severus absorbed this for a moment. "What was the result?"

"I'm pregnant."

Severus couldn't help the sinking of his heart. "Do you not want to be?"

Julia laughed a little, "No I… it's such a shock. I thought we'd wait a while, have a baby after we were married. I mean I was on the pill. I just didn't think it was a possibility. I want a baby, I do… I'm scared." She said the last so quietly it was barely heard.

Severus' heart inflated a little and the disappointment ebbed away into relief and his own brand of fear. "Me too. I don't think that ever goes away. I'm just as scared now as when I found out Seb was on the way and I was seventeen years old then." Severus chuckled dryly.

"'m glad. Didn't want to be alone." Julia snuggled further into Severus' embrace.

"I love you." He kissed the top of her head.

"Always. His name is Jacob."

"How do you know it's a boy?" Severus carded his fingers through her hair.

"Seb said so, and he also said his name was Jacob. And now that I know it feels right. You know?"

Severus smiled. "Yes."

"Seb really is a Seer isn't he."

"Yes."

They were quiet for a long time on that bathroom floor just soaking up comfort and support from each other; absorbing the full magnitude of their future that now resided in Julia's body, the little boy who would be sure to turn their lives upside down in a matter of months.

"You know as touching a movie moment this is, I am hungry and you haven't even started dinner yet." Silas had poked his head in the bathroom and was frowning down at the couple.

Severus rolled his eyes. "Just order some pizza Silas. We're celebrating." Severus stood up and pulled Julia up after him.

"We are?" Silas asked slyly.

Severus slapped him on the back of the head, "Yes, Julia's pregnant. Now go away and order dinner. We'll be down in a minute."

Silas ran from the room, his stomach not willing to wait for Silas to invent a clever comeback.

"It'll be okay won't it?" Julia asked as they contemplated leaving the bathroom.

Severus turned back to her and smiled, "I think so."

* * *

><p>When Julia awoke Monday morning she was surprised to find that Severus had already left, Seb was already at the dining table with Mrs. Martin and Silas was already at Belle's house.<p>

"Good morning?" Julia said, stepping into the dining room.

Sebastian didn't look up from the book he was pouring over but Mrs Martin looked up and gave Julia a sort of awkward smile. "Morning Dear, Severus told me to tell you that he called work for you this morning and advised them that you wouldn't be coming in. He left a note for you." Mrs Martin held up the folded paper and Julia tried not to show her irritation when she took the paper.

_Julia, love_

_I know you're probably angry with me for calling in sick for you but you didn't sleep well at all last night and I thought it might do you and the baby some good to have a proper rest. Enjoy your relaxing day, if you need to contact me ask Silas and he'll operate the floo for you._

_Love always, Severus_

Julia couldn't help smiling softly at the letter; it had worked excellently in diminishing her annoyance and left her feeling light and airy inside. She smiled up at Mrs Martin who smiled back but there was an odd aura about the woman today, she felt awkward and unsure; very different to the usual warm and calm lady that the Snape/Hall family had come to know and cherish as friend.

"Are you alright Mrs Martin?" Julia asked.

Mrs Martin blushed, which only served to further perplex Julia, "Fine Dear, just a little bit of a rough weekend."

"Oh, is everything alright? Is it your husband?" Julia stepped forward a little.

The woman's eyes widened as if she'd divulged something she hadn't meant to, "Oh, no, no Dear. I'm fine. Just very busy. Thank you for your concern, but we're okay." Mrs Martin tried a brave smile and Julia smiled back but couldn't keep from frowning in worry. "Well go on Dear, it's your day off. You'd better begin it. There's some breakfast for you in the fridge."

Julia nodded and left the studying pair to it.

By the time she had had an hour long soak in the bath tub, read a newspaper and napped on the swing chair, soaking up the last rays of warm sunshine left for the year Julia had completely forgotten about her worries over Mrs Martin and was terribly excited when she heard Severus' car coming up the drive.

She walked around the house and met her fiancée as he stepped out of the car.

"Hey." She greeted him.

He grinned and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into him. "Afternoon. I see you've had a good day." He nuzzled her neck.

"Mm, I did. You made a good choice this morning. I think we should make a doctor's appointment, find out when the baby's due, how far along I am. All that stuff." Julia laughed when Severus didn't respond; too engrossed in her neck. "Sev!"

Severus pulled away, grinning. He stepped away and took her hand in his, leading her inside the house. "Why babe? I am a doctor. A Wizarding doctor but if anything that's better than you going to a muggle doctor. I'll do the check-ups." Severus closed the front door.

"Oh. But don't I need a specialist? Like an obstetrician?" Julia helped Severus take off his jacket.

"No, we don't have specialities in Wizarding medicine. Don't need them." They stepped into the living room, Seb was lying on the floor drawing. "Hey Seb." Severus greeted.

"Hey Dad." Seb didn't look up.

"How was your day?" Severus sat on the couch.

Seb sat up and turned to face Severus. "Good. Mrs Martin taught me more French and we started reading 'Catcher in the Rye' today."

Severus nodded. "Do you like it?"

"Not sure yet." Seb said. "Dad?"

"Yes." Severus lifted his arm as Julia sat down next to him and draped his arm around her shoulders, drawing her into his embrace.

"Can we see Draco soon?" Seb jumped up and moved over to Severus, a hopeful grin on his face.

Severus laughed. "Of course, we'll call them tonight and set something up." Seb smiled and ran upstairs.

"But Severus, I don't want you to you know…" Julia trailed off, something of a disgusted expression on her face as she face Severus.

Severus was hopelessly confused. "Don't want me to what? What are you talking about?"

Julia sighed, disgruntled. "You said you could look after me and the baby. But I don't want you to deliver Jacob."

Severus frowned, "Why?"

"Because it's weird! And that's not where you're supposed to be, you're supposed to be holding my hand, up at my head! I don't want you to see that!" Julia was clearly grossed out and Severus couldn't help but be confused.

"Why?"

"Severus! Don't be so obtuse. Please, I just want you to hold my hand. Help me find someone else to deliver the baby at least." Julia pleaded.

"Alright. We can ask David, he's the man I work for. Is that alright?"

Julia smiled and nodded. "Yes. Now, you said you could do a check-up?"

Severus laughed. "Okay, okay." He stood up. "Lie down on the couch." Julia did as instructed and Severus kneeled down beside her. He carefully lifted up her shirt so that it bared her lower torso, and undid her jeans so that it could expose her abdomen fully.

"Sev, the baby!" Julia reminded, giggling when Severus began kissing her stomach.

"Right!" Severus sat back on his heels and withdrew his wand from his sleeve. He muttered a few spells before a blue light surrounded her stomach.

"What's that mean?" Julia whispered.

"I just confirmed that you were indeed pregnant, and that it is a boy." Severus muttered and then muttered something else, cyphers that Julia could not interpret sprung up in mid-air.

Severus studied them for a moment and Julia let him be until she couldn't help it anymore, "What's it say Severus?"

Severus chuckled at her impatience but said nothing for a moment more, until finally, "You're about two months gone, due on roughly the 12th of April and everything is perfect. Jacob is very healthy, and developing correctly." Severus turned and smiled when he saw the complete euphoric expression on Julia's face.

* * *

><p>Heyo! I'm such a nice little author aren't I, a second update in as many days but you see I'm currently writing the end to this little story and it's practically writing itself because I've been thinking about this for so long now! So anyways I'm pretty sure you can expect an update daily until I finish writing chapter twenty and then I'll just post everything that hasn't made it up yet. BUT having said that I'm writing chapter nineteen now so there's every likelihood that I'll have finished chapter twenty by like today and have everything posted today, but you know that's a big IF so don't get your hopes up too high. Editing bores me you see, that's why I don't do it very thoroughly and I make so many mistakes. :D But you love me anyway, I know.<p>

Leave a review if you have a moment please, it would be very much appreciated! :D

_**Responses to Last Chapter's Reviews:**_

**twilight1987**: Haha yeah I thought so, thank you! :D

**cara-tanaka**: Thanks, yeah Sebby boy was a little cryptic but it'll be obvious pretty soon what he was referring too I think! :)

**LemonDropsWoolSocks**: My dear Young One, I must admit the lameness of your plot bunnies joke did not escape my notice but do not fear Young One it only served to endear your young self to my authoress heart! baahahahah! YAY! I'm glad you like mini-dragon idea, but I have to warn you it won't happen in this story but I'll work it into the sequel for you! Okay I'm seriously considering this pet, really I am, but I have to ask a few questions before I can give you my choice. 1. Who's the pet for? 2. How old will they be when they receive the pet? 3. Is the pet supposed to have any kind of powers? Hahahaha that's just hilarious, I'm sorry, 5'11 and afraid of a tiny spider. hahaha. I'm glad you enjoy my writing abilities it does my poor old heart good to hear such praise. LOL and I know I know, I mean who can not like the woman that makes Sevvy Wevvy so very happy? Not me that's who, I love her for what she does for the other characters toooooo! Ahhh dear old Alan Rickman, well I'm sorry to say that Alan is in a minority and Silas is not... (man, I'm like addicted to hinting at everything that happens in this story!). And OMG you have no idea how bad I feel, I actually had a mini cry session when I realised, now i have to WAIT for OCTOBER! BLUGH! Hey and look I respond to your hints too, oh look at this give and take relationship we have going here, it's amazing I say! Ya my dear little Sebby Webby has a lot going on but it sort of saddens me that he's taken such a back seat role in the later chapters of this story, I need to work on bringing him to the forefront more when I start writing on the sequel. AND OMG I WANNA READ A SNIPPET FROM YOUR STORY! SHOW ME! haha. Your ever faithful slave of an author, JP.

**Mira SeverusSirius Black-Snape**: Haha, good to know I still have some ability to surprise people! :D

**emi-chan74**: When I first thought of this story it was actually my intention to have Severus and Julia break up or something and have Severus fall in love with Charlie but the more I thought about it the less I liked the idea. Firstly, because it seems like such a cliche that the romantic couple are always opposites and have explosive fights and misunderstandings when in my (very limited I'll admit) experience of life things just aren't like that. The people we argue with the most are the people the most like us, and we don't often end up with the people who we hated when we first met them, sure we may end up liking them but it hardly ever ends up working out. Secondly, because I liked Charlie as a strong family friend who'd be there for Severus, Silas and Seb when they needed her without complicating their relationships with Charlie being involved with Severus, because I think if she were to get together with Severus things would fizzle out in the end. Thirdly, because Charlie is a lot like I imagine Lily would have been and that relationship (Severus/Lily) did break down completely, and it hurt Severus deeply so I would think that he'd be looking for a relationship with someone different. Fourthly, because even though Julia is a lot like Severus it's in a good way, it gives them enough common ground to truly understand each other and know each other on platforms that I don't think a relationship between Charlie and Severus could ever reach. Fifthly, yes Severus and Julia are both uptight but they do have a sense of humour, it's stiffer than Silas' and Seb's but it is a sense of humour none the less. Both Severus and Julia have had horrible experiences in their lives and those experiences have made them the way they are, it has given them a different reason to get up in the morning, they want to have a life and be happy but that doesn't always include laughing like a hyena because your partner is hilarious. Julia and Severus have a quiet contentment in each other which is what they want. They've been battered by the world and they find solace in each other.

And the children issue, you make a valid point but I think it's important to note that yes it is like that for a lot of families but not all families. There are people for who situations like these are no big deal, and things do work out. Your books would talk about those situations in a general form they don't encompass every situation. I know quite a few people who have been in similar situations and sure its been hard but it has worked out. And in any case Seb is a special person, we know now that the little boy is a seer. He knew about Julia long before Severus ever met her, he knew she was coming and that's why he accepted her so easily and perhaps I haven't shown the relationship between the two of them very clearly in my story so far but I think it's the next chapter that shows Seb and Julia behaving much more like a family. Seb does love her and she does love him but Julia like Severus is a reserved person and they don't do wild gestures of love. She shows her love in her consistency in always being there, in making sure that Seb is happy and well and cared for.

Haha and yeah you are the odd one out, I've only gotten negative reviews on Julia in the early chapters when she was just introduced and no one knew her or knew why she acted the way she did. But I do love her I have to say, she's a strong kick-ass kind of chick like Charlie is but in a much more subtle way, I haven't really shown that in this story but you'll see in the sequel trust me. haha! Thank you for the review, I like getting solid feed back on that I can really discuss. :D Have a good day too! haha

**LunaLGood**: Yeah I love Charlie too, and the story is almost finished and as such there is not that much of Charlie in it because the ending is mainly about Severus and Julia but rest assured there is going to be a sequel and Charlie will feature quite heavily. Thanks for the review! :D


	17. The Girls and The Boys

**Chapter Seventeen - The Girls and The Boys**

The morning of the Twenty fourth of December dawned grey and chilly, and rain was promised for later in the morning but Severus didn't think a thing could spoil this day. This day would be absolutely perfect, even if it poured with rain and it stormed until the sky fell down. Today Severus was getting married. Well Severus was getting married that evening but no matter, his excitement was unrestrained and Silas couldn't even imagine trying to pull his brother back down to earth.

Ever since that first letter from Tobias neither of the two brothers had heard anything more from the man and they assumed that he had decided to leave them alone. Silas couldn't help but be a little disappointed that the man had given up so easily but whenever he saw the complete happiness that was Severus he pushed it aside because he had given up that chance to know his father for an important reason. For Severus.

When Silas had come home for Christmas break Severus had been almost beside himself at the train station so excited was he, and Julia had looked so tired standing next to the exuberant man. Her hair had been tied back and she'd been wearing her usual designer jeans and shoes but it was clear she no longer fit into her normal shirts and sweaters; she was wearing one of Severus'. There had been noticeable bags under her eyes, which was weird for the normally immaculately presented woman but there'd been the most content smile on her face that Silas had ever seen before. And suddenly even though she looked the worst that Silas had ever seen her she was the most beautiful; happiness and love exuded from her every pore and Silas was surprised to find her hugging him back on the platform, the usually reserved woman was not much for public displays of affection. She'd kissed him on the cheek and told him that she'd missed him.

That was the moment that Silas had really begun to love Julia, love her as Severus' almost wife, love her as his sister, as his family. She was so a part of their lives that Silas could never imagine her absent from them.

She had left the previous afternoon for Charlie's house. Apparently she was fully into tradition, and said that it was bad luck for her and Severus to be together on the eve of their wedding.

The friendship that had sprung up between the two women was something that no one could have foretold. Ever since Charlie had apologised to Julia the two had been getting on like they had known each other their whole lives.

When Charlie had come over one night to hang out with Julia Silas had seen why. The two women were lounging in the living room, flicking through trashy magazines and gossiping about every detail of their own lives, of the people they knew and of the celebrities in the magazines.

There was this easy kind of camaraderie between the two women, and Silas recognised that the two found something of themselves in the other. They saw something that they could sympathise with, feel with. Silas didn't think he'd ever really know what that was, but he was grateful none the less that tensions had dissipated between the two, and that Julia had another friend that was not a Snape male.

It seemed to Silas, as time wore on, that Julia had no friends or family. No one ever visited, she never spoke about anyone, no one ever called and it became glaringly obvious as Julia began to plan her wedding that there was no one to be her bridesmaid. Charlie had taken up the role as one of Julia's bridesmaids (Narcissa the other), and if Julia was ever disappointed or saddened by the obvious lack of her own family she never told anyone, always happy or smiling lately.

And so Julia was currently ensconced at Charlie's home, being waited on by Charlie, Emily, Casey and Belle.

Belle. Well that was a drama all its own. Silas had left for school on the first of September, a day after Belle and Casey had left for Beauxbatons. The young couple had promised to write often to each other, and they had; for the first month they swapped letters almost every day until they had run out of things to say to each other, and then the letters had been shared much less frequently. When Silas had come home Belle had already been back for a few days and was waiting for him on the front steps. Severus, Julia and Seb had hidden inside and Silas had sat down next to his girlfriend.

"How was the trip?" Belle had begun.

"Good. How was yours?"

"Long." Belle had smiled.

"Look Belle, I know why you're here and I'm kind of glad you are. Because if you hadn't come to me I would of had to go find you and I don't think I would have been able to, you know, go through with it. So I think you should just come out and say it. Because I think it's what we both want." Silas had blurted and Belle had laughed.

"See, Silas this is why I love you." Silas looked sharply up at that that was not the direction he thought this conversation would be taking, that had made Belle laugh again. "As my FRIEND. While I was at school I realised something. You're one of my best friends. But that's it, you know what I mean. I want to be your friend but I don't want to be your girlfriend."

Silas grinned. "I know exactly what you mean. I don't want to be your girlfriend either."

Belle laughed. "Silas!"

When Silas had gone in Severus had shaken his head and said, "Only you Silas can break up with someone and leave them laughing and loving you just as much as before."

Silas had just given him a sly smile and punched his shoulder playfully, "Well I would teach you the technique but that would mean you'd break up with Julia and I might just have to kill you for that. She's the best thing that's ever happened to you, apart from Seb of course."

"I know she is." Severus had said reverently and had looked at something beyond Silas' shoulder, when Silas turned to see what he was staring at he saw Julia asleep on the couch, Seb curled up next to her, patting her stomach and whispering softly to the little bulge.

"That's probably the cutest thing I've ever seen." Silas had whispered so as not to disturb the pair on the couch.

"I know, I've been coming home to that for the past month now, and every time I can't help but be awe-struck by it." Severus replied in a similar tone.

"Hasn't Julia been to work?"

"No, she quit at the end of last month. Said she wanted to focus on our family for a while. She didn't like the idea of Seb being home alone with just Mrs Martin all day."

"That doesn't really sound like Julia." Silas had turned to Severus questioningly and the expression he found on Severus' face was almost laughable in its complete confusion.

"I know, but ever since she's been pregnant she's changed. She's softer, almost like all her past struggles and pains no longer hurt her, no longer affect how she lives. It's absolutely amazing. You'll see while you're here." And Silas had seen. Had seen how Julia had not completely changed because she had always been a kind and caring person but had now allowed that person to show; had allowed her perceived vulnerability to be exposed and it was beautiful and Julia had become something almost angelic in the eyes of the Snape males so much so that with only one night of Julia being out of the house they were already missing her presence.

Seb, however, was not. Julia had given him permission to run between houses all day long, allowing Seb to have the best of both worlds and therefore making him the envy of both Severus and Nick. Severus because he wanted to see his bride, and Nick because he wanted to be allowed back into his own house again.

Just as Julia had camped over at the King/Rider household, Nick had been forced to spend the night with the Snapes because his house had become ladies only.

The three men were sitting around the living room waiting for Lucius, Narcissa and Draco to arrive. Narcissa was to be Julia's other bridesmaid and Lucius Severus' other best man. They of course knew that generally it was tradition to have only one best man but when the time had come for Severus to decide whether or not Lucius or Silas would fulfil that role he had found it impossible to decide. Julia had kindly allowed him to have both, with Sebastian as their ring bearer.

"Dad! Dad! Julia said, Julia said that you have to make sure that you don't forget to make me lunch!" Seb ran into the room, a little out of breath, cheeks flushed with excitement.

Severus lifted an eyebrow, "Did she now?"

"Yes! Because because because she thought you might forget and think that maybe she would make me lunch when she wasn't going to!" Seb moved over to where Severus was sitting and pulled on the man's trousers' knees.

Severus chuckled, "If I remember correctly Julia informed me that Charlie would be making a big lunch over there for everyone, including you!"

Seb's eyes grew huge and he shook his head, "No! Charlie said it's girls only. Honest! She did! She really did! And And anyway I don't care 'cause I'm a boy. And that means I'm at the boy's house, that's what Casey said."

Severus laughed, "I might have even believed you Seb, if there wasn't sauce on your chin."

"You're lying Daddy, there's no sauce on my chin, I checked before I came over!" Seb protested in his solid indignation. Severus laughed so hard and at Seb's confused expression the man just began to tickle the boy's tummy until he was on the floor laughing, trying to roll away from the torturous fingers.

Silas was watching them with the biggest grin on his face, waiting for his cue to step in and help in the torturing of the tiniest Snape. Sebastian began to howl and Silas took that as his signal and jumped into the fray, helping Severus tackle every inch he could reach of the little boy.

"Well, I suppose everyone spends their own wedding days differently. I mean I spent it preparing the actual wedding, but I suppose trying to murder your own son is as good a way as any really." Lucius' comment went unnoticed by the three struggling on the floor, but Nick who was watching them from the safety of the couch just scoffed and said, "Tell me about it."

Lucius leant against the mantle piece as Narcissa and Draco came through the floo.

"Oh!" Narcissa exclaimed when she saw the three and Draco's expression of utter confusion and more than a little fear was so comical Lucius laughed.

"Yes, well my dear I suggest you run away quickly. I'm sure this will get much worse before it gets better." Lucius suggested and walked his wife to the door, holding frightened Draco's hand.

"Mhm, Lucius make sure they get to the manor in time. I'll be taking the ladies to the manor in a half an hour to get Julia ready through Charlie's floo. The sun sets in five and a half hours and Severus better be there! Now kiss me." Lucius smirked at his wife and obediently kissed the proffered cheek.

"Yes, dear." He said and she rolled her eyes and laughed before walking down the path. Lucius couldn't help watching her go.

Draco was still firmly clasped to Lucius' side when they went back into the living room, too uncomfortable with his surroundings to feel even remotely safe.

"Severus!" Lucius shouted, making Draco cringe further into his father but serving to stop the groom from attacking his son who was by now crying he was laughing so hard.

Severus head shot up and reminded Lucius so much of a meerkat the man laughed, "Stop that. Come, it's time to go to the manor. Time to complete the last few tasks."

* * *

><p>Hi all! I'm just about to head off to Wicked (I'm so excited) and I don't have much time so I can't respond to last chapter's reviews now, but when I post the next chapter tomorrow I'll reply to chapter 16's and chapter 17's reviews, I just figured you'd want the story over having to wait an extra day for me to have time to reply to the reviews! I also haven't edited this chapter, like at all, haha, so it's probably pretty bad and I'm sorry for that, I'll re-post an edited version later on when I have time but this weekend is crazy busy for me!<p>

Love you all! Review if you have a moment I really like them!


	18. Just Married

**Chapter Eighteen - Just Married**

Julia took a deep breath as she looked in the mirror. Currently, she was in one of the guest suites in Malfoy Manor. She was in the bedroom, having a moment to herself while the rest of her bridal party waited in the little adjoining sitting room. Her dress, that Narcissa had helped her hunt for was beautiful in Julia's opinion. The white chiffon sheath dress hung from a thick strapped, v-neckline. There was a small pearled brooch that sat just at the apex of the V and that was the only ornament that she wore on her dress.

Her hair was up, Narcissa said that she had a beautiful neck that needed to be showed more, so her hair was up, and her ears held simple pearl earrings. Julia's hands caressed the small bump that was her baby boy and couldn't help but smile. Sure, maybe it wasn't the done thing to be already pregnant when walking down the aisle, especially when the baby was so evident but Julia only felt that it made the day even more perfect. Her son, their son was there with them to celebrate the joining of their family. Their son was there and she was grateful for that; grateful that he was somehow able to be a part of everything that would happen today.

There was a soft knock at the door. "Julia, dear, it's a quarter past five. Are you ready? You have to be walking down that aisle in ten minutes." Narcissa stepped into the room.

Her bridesmaid's dress was a similar style to Julia's wedding dress but there was no pearl broach and the dress was much more fitted in the soft golden folds.

Julia grinned, "Yes." She gasped.

As she walked slowly through the manor with Narcissa, Charlie and Seb she couldn't help but think of her parents who had died long before Julia had ever even considered marriage. She couldn't help but be a little saddened at the fact that her father was not here to walk her down the aisle; that there was no one to give her away. And this just made her realise how truly lonely she was before Severus; there had been no one in her life for the longest time and then it was just him; for a whole year her life outside of work had consisted mainly of sporadic visits from her almost-husband. And then, within the space of six months, Julia had a small community of family and friends.

She had a life again, work had become nothing in comparison to this; to this happiness that she'd found, that she'd underestimated when she had purposely distanced herself from the world. And it had been so easy to give up that job that she'd worked her whole life to have, so easy to choose Seb and Jacob over it; so easy to choose building a family with Severus instead of it. She had no doubt that one day she would want to return to work, perhaps in six or so years when Jacob was in school but not now. Now was a time for her to savour new motherhood and wifehood. Savour something she had never thought she would ever have.

She had never in her wildest dreams ever thought she would be a mother or a wife since that fateful ski trip when she was fifteen years old; never thought that that was something that she even remotely wanted. It had sickened her at the time; having someone in her life who'd want her touch and to touch her, who'd want to put his child inside of her; to have a child in her womb had frightened her more than anything, especially when right after the incident she had worried if she would fall pregnant with her attacker's child.

But now, now with Severus as her husband, with Severus as the one who needed her touch and her love it was different, because she found that she needed him too. Needed him to love her, sure, she knew that if Severus ever left her she'd be able to survive without him, he wasn't her whole entire life anymore but he was important, without him things would never be the same, she wouldn't be the same. And carrying Severus' child was nothing close to disgusting and yes, it was frightening but in a completely different way than when she had feared almost ten years ago now. It was an excited, nervous kind of fear. Fear that she wouldn't be a good mother, fear that it would hurt like hell when it came time for the birth, not the abject terror of having some man's child that she could not love and would not ever love.

Julia and the bridal party reached the conservatory, out the window Julia could see the aisle made out of white rose petals between the white lawn chairs at the end of which stood an arch of white roses. Under the arch was Severus, he looked so stern but Julia could see his nerves in every line of his body and couldn't help but smile. Lucius stood next to the man and Silas behind him, Julia could see the two making fun of the nervous groom while Severus tried stoically to ignore them and the Headmaster Dumbledore who was officiating the ceremony and was currently bestowing upon all the wedding guests the most benevolent smile Julia had ever seen.

She had only met Albus Dumbledore two months earlier when Severus had asked that her perform the ceremony, Julia had asked him why and Severus had confided to her that even though the man was much more human than people believed him to be and was certainly fallible he was the closest person Severus ever had to a father. And Severus had always loved the man as such, mistakes aside. And Julia supposed considering who Severus' real father was those mistakes were pretty easy to forgive.

The old man had been kind enough and Julia found that she like him, even if she found his round-about manner of speech irritating. When she saw how the man looked at Severus she knew he was a good man straight away, she saw the care and concern in those eyes and she knew that the man probably cared for Severus as his son just as Severus cared for him as his father.

And then the music started and Julia was roused from her musings and suddenly all that extra stuff didn't matter anymore as Charlie handed her a bouquet of white and red roses.

"Good luck love." Charlie smiled and kissed Julia's cheek before ushering Seb out of the conservatory and down the aisle. Julia watched the little boy as he beamed at all the smiling faces and then stood beside Silas at the head of the altar. Charlie then left and five steps behind her Narcissa was out the exit and then it was just Julia in that conservatory and her hands began to sweat where they gripped to the stem of the bouquet tightly and then the music changed and Julia knew it was her cue.

She gulped, took another deep breath and stepped outside, and she looked around and her fear began to tear at her heart and grip her soul, she looked up and she saw Severus and she saw that fear reflected in those eyes but she also saw a promise; a promise that they would do this together, that she wasn't alone; not anymore. And so Julia walked forward, walked to that man, moved closer to her future with every timed step she took.

After what felt like an eternity of trying to reach those obsidian eyes she finally reached him and he stepped out to her holding out his hand for hers and she gave it to him, handing off her bouquet to someone, she assumed it was either Charlie or Narcissa but she couldn't really care at that point, as long as she got to spend the rest of her life with Severus.

Julia didn't hear much of what was said until it came time for the vows and she found her mouth go dry as Severus said, "I, Severus Tobias Snape, take you, Julia Catherine Hall, for my lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part."

Julia could barely remember her own vows to Severus, or the rest of the ceremony, until Seb handed Albus the rings and Severus slid on a white gold band that matched her engagement ring on her currently bare finger, she took Severus ring and pushed it on his own finger and couldn't help but be distracted by the beauty of Severus wearing that ring; wearing her ring.

And then Severus was kissing her softly and people that Julia barely knew were cheering and she was laughing and Severus was grinning like the cat that got the canary.

Severus whisked her down the aisle as people merged to the ends of their chairs' rows and tried to shake their hands all at once, it was absolutely chaotic and Julia was in heaven. Photos were taken and poses were made and Julia couldn't seem to stop laughing.

Eventually Severus made it through the throng and pulled Julia into the manor, but he didn't stop, not until the two were in the guest rooms that Julia and her bridal party had only vacated a half an hour earlier. Severus closed the door behind them and then turned around to face Julia. They were both completely silent, until Severus said, "Did we really just get married?" He spoke quietly, like if he said it too loud he'd find out it had all just been a dream and they weren't really married after all.

Julia just nodded and watched as the grin spread across Severus' face, the man bounded over to her and wrapped her in his arms, holding her tightly to him.

"I'm so happy. This was perfect. Thank you. Thank you Mrs. Snape." Severus buried his nose in the juncture of Julia's neck and shoulder and breathed in her scent, deeply.

Julia laughed, "Me too, Mr. Snape."

Severus lifted his head and kissed her, much the same way he had as their first kiss as man and wife but this was vastly more intimate and Julia felt as if he was bearing his soul to her and she to him.

"I love you." He murmured.

"Always." She said against his lips.

And then Jacob kicked, and Severus laughed because they were pressed so tightly together he could feel it, and the kiss broke and Severus knelt before Julia and caressed her stomach and pressed a kiss to her belly. "And we love you too Mr Jacob."

After that the two changed into their reception clothes. Severus pulled Julia's arm through his and lead her down to the ballroom. They approached the doors to the room where a butler was waiting for him. He opened the doors with a flourish and then room fell silent.

"Presenting for the first time, Mr and Mrs Severus Snape!" The man called and the room erupted in cheers and shouts. The couple laughed as they descended the stairs and joined the rest of the party greeting people as they moved through the crowd. The eventually reached where Silas was standing with Sebastian and Draco, making sure the boys weren't getting themselves into trouble.

Silas grinned and gave them a small wave, "Well at least you made an honest woman out of this one!" The joke was rude and crass and would have made Severus murder Silas under any other circumstance but the man was simply too euphoric to do anything but give the boy a firm whack upside the head.

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><p>Aww! How sweet, how vomit worthy! The fluff is huge in this chapter and so you can be warned it's even bigger next chapter which I'll be posting directly after this one and then the final chapter will likely be sometime today or tomorrow. I know I promised you that these chapters would be updated earlier but, well, I have a life that like to throw me curve balls sometimes... anyway here you are I hope you enjoyed it, and I'm going to warn you now that even though this story is going to be finished any day (or minute) now the sequel won't be up for a while, like you'll be lucky if it's up within the month. I want to be really sure about where I'm going with the sequel and have a descent amount of chapters written before I upload it and I haven't even started!<p>

If you have a moment a review would be much appreciated.

_**Reviews from Chapter 16 - Who's Jacob?**_

**cara-tanaka**: I'm glad, and thank you. :)

**Mira SeverusSirius Black-Snape**: What are a/u notes? I'm sorry I don't really understand abbreviations in the world of fanfic. :) and I'm glad that you like pregnant Julia! :D

**LemonDropsWoolSocks**: My dear Young One, it's amazing how that happened with little Jacob. I'm glad that you liked it. :) Haha I'm glad that you can wait for the sequel to turn Astarte into a mini-dragon! Would it be too weird for him to end up with Charlie? I've been considering it and it's not like she's that much older than him, only about a year or two (Belle's younger than Silas and Nick is actually quite a bit older than Emily). But there is that whole family thing going on still... Dunno tell me what you think. Haha yeah advertisement... except I'm scared that if I divulge what's going to happen too much that no one will want to read it and I really hope that people still stick with me after the final chapter to this story, really I do, because it's kind of a curve ball.

Mmmm okay I'm still thinking about the pet, I want it to be really awesome and cool and unique, I'm gonna pick one soon I promise! And I read your snippet, sorry I didn't reply to your PM, it was great! I loved it! I imagine it would be a kind of interlude piece in a bigger story and aside and I love it! Keep it up!

Your ever loving, JP !)

**Celestialuna**: Thanks! :D

_**Reviews from Chapter 17 - The Girls and The Boys**_

**cara-tanaka**: Here dear! :)

**Mira SeverusSirius Black-Snape**: Your mum should definitely see it and you should go with her! It was amazing!

**LemonDropsWoolSocks**: Oh dear Young One, yes I saw the duplicate reviews and I hadn't even realised that the first one was anonymous I thought the computer had just stuffed up and sent the same thing twice, so no worries! And I'm glad that keeping Silas un-depressed makes you so happy, don't worry Silas won't fall into anymore teenage angst in this story, maybe not even in the sequel although he will be sad in the sequel but anyway no more hints! And yeah haha it was, I kind of wanted that component to be over already because they'd already given each other everything that they were supposed to, there was no reason for more. Yeah Silas and Sebby boy are absolutely adorable and there will be more Tobias just not in this story but definitely in the sequel! Crap, another damn hint! Although I did like all the scenarios you came up with to have Tobias in the story more, they were quite amusing! AND I SO WANT MORE SNIPPETS REALLY I DO! I will be sending you a PM as soon as I've updated this and the next chapter! Your faithful, JP :)

**Celestialuna**: Haha I'm sure it's likely! I will investigate! haha, thanks for the review! :D


	19. Merry Christmas

**Chapter Nineteen - Merry Christmas **

When Sebastian woke up on Christmas morning he experienced a moment of confusion; he was not in his bedroom. After looking about himself for a moment he recognised the room as belonging to Draco Malfoy; his best friend, and with a rush the events of the day before came back to Seb and brought a smile to his face. Today was going to be the best Christmas ever!

Dad and Julia were finally married. Seb sprung up from his mattress and standing on it leaned over the bed where Draco was still fast asleep.

Seb couldn't help himself from giggling before he leant closely into Draco's personal space and placed his mouth by Draco's ear and bellowed with all his might, "DRACO!" Draco's reaction was so hilarious to Seb that the boy fell back onto his own mattress with laughter. Draco had scrambled up immediately and had fallen off the other side of the bed, still half asleep but trying to get away from the danger.

Draco stuck his tousled blonde head just above the bed and looked around wearily for the source of his fear, only to find Seb laughing hysterically. The boy huffed and scrambled over the bed and tackled the already prostrate boy, so in effect just ended up sitting on Seb's stomach.

"You're mean." Draco huffed, Seb continued to laugh.

"What happened!" Lucius Malfoy came running into the room, wand brandished; only wearing a pair of sleep pants even though it was winter.

Seb stopped laughing, he must have yelled really loudly for it to reach the room across the hall, and then suddenly his Dad was standing next to Lucius similarly attired and wand also held aloft.

Seb must have yelled really loudly for his father to have heard him in a separate wing.

"Seb? What happened?" Severus questioned.

Seb heard laughter behind his Dad and as he stepped further into the room Seb saw Julia and Narcissa standing on the threshold to the room, both in night gowns except Julia's didn't quite close all the way around her baby.

"Sev, I don't think they're in danger. I think they were playing." Julia smiled, she was absolutely stunning that morning and Seb's love for the woman increased tenfold, she was beautiful and warm and kind and protective and everything that a mother should be.

Draco jumped off Seb's stomach and helped the boy up and then hid behind the slightly shorter boy.

Severus and Lucius both lowered their wands. Severus was smirking but Lucius' expression was much more relieved than that, he put a hand to his heart and frowned as if it hurt.

Seb thought it must have been beating really fast for it to hurt.

"Sorry." Seb said.

"Mmm, now you are." His dad laughed though so Seb knew he wasn't actually in any trouble.

"Merry Christmas!" Seb sing-songed and lunged forward at his dad, who deftly caught him up into his embrace.

"Merry Christmas, son." His Dad kissed the top of his head and as Julia came to stand beside them Severus shifted Seb so that he sat on his right hip and drew Julia in with his left arm and kissed the top of her head too, "Merry Christmas Mrs Snape."

Julia laughed, "Merry Christmas Mr Snape."

"Excuse me while I vomit." Silas had come into the room, the commotion having roused him. Narcissa frowned and slapped Silas on the back of the head, the expression of complete surprise on the teenager's face made the whole room erupt in raucous laughter.

"Won't ever disparage romance again in front of my wife will you?" Lucius smirked and Silas poked his tongue out. "Why you little…" But Lucius didn't finish his insult as he began chasing the rapidly retreating Silas.

The rest of the party stared at the open doorway for a moment before Narcissa clapped her hands, "Right, well I think it's time for breakfast then!" And she took Draco's hand and led the Snapes down to the dining room. Severus placed Seb down in the hall and gave Seb's hand to Julia, telling them he'd join them in a moment after he'd grabbed a shirt.

Seb skipped happily along beside Julia, regaling her with his morning's activities.

Breakfast was an informal affair, with Lucius and Silas only arriving half-way through. Silas sporting Slytherin green hair and silver coloured skin, Lucius with strands of bright red in his hair. Neither said anything and apart from the occasional coughed giggle from Severus that was quickly stifled by murderous glares from both Silas and Lucius no one else made not of it either.

That was of course until the party had convenied in the informal sitting room, gathering around the Christmas tree. Draco was sitting in Lucius' lap, shy even though he knew the Snape family by now almost as well as his own. The boy had buried his face in Lucius' neck, "Dad, can I have red in my hair like yours?" Draco had whispered and Lucius had quickly looked around to make sure no one had heard, but Severus who was sitting in the arm chair next to Lucius with Julia in his lap had heard and was in the process of laughing so hard that everyone else had turned quiet and watched as Severus tried to cough up a lung.

"Severus, what's the matter with you?" Julia had frowned and Severus had laughed harder.

Seb was unwilling to wait any longer for the adults to sort out their troubles and clapped his hands together, calling out, "Presents!"

Seb grabbed the first package and gave it to Lucius, he had followed that by giving each person a present to open, once everyone had a present within their grasp Severus had counted down from three and then they'd all torn open the presents together.

They went through at least five rounds of this, until only Seb and Draco had presents left; various smaller toys and things from their own parents.

Silas had wondered into the adjoining music room with Narcissa and was tinkling on the piano. Laughter occassionally floated in to the room as Narcissa attempted to teach Silas. Lucius sat in an armchair, studying his newest book from Severus, Draco at his feet with Seb sitting opposite as the boys played with a board game from Silas.

Severus leaned back on the arm of the couch, stretched out along the length of the chair, Julia sat in between his legs and leaned against his chest her head resting just under his chin.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"What for?" Severus matched her undertone so that the rest of the assembly would not hear them.

"For giving me everything, for letting me have something that I never thought I would or even could have. Thank you for loving me, for always loving me."

Severus kissed the top of her head, "I'll never stop."

"I know and you have no idea what that does to me, I feel like I can do anything, like I'm on top of the world and yet all I want to do is sit here with you and our sons, our family."

Severus smiled, "Our sons." He repeated. "I like that you know."

Julia laughed softly, "Yeah, I know. I like that we make you happy. That it wouldn't matter if you had nothing else as long as Seb and Jacob and Silas and I were there you'd be happy. You're a rare person and I can't believe that you want me and I can't believe you married me. And I can't believe that we got married yesterday, it's so surreal."

Severus leant down and nuzzled her neck, "I know. You're my wife. I'm your husband. It's so odd to say at last isn't it? After so long of being partners which sounds like we're crime fighting tights wearing vigilantes or being a couple which sounds like we're fourteen years old. I feel adult, which is weird because I've been an adult ever since Seb existed but now suddenly it's like I have this other way in which to explain my adulthood to other people. I'm married, and married to the most beautiful woman in existence."

Julia giggled, "We have claim on each other. No one can ever deny me knowledge or access to you because I don't have the right, you're my husband. The security that that relationship status provides is huge you know."

"Yeah, I know. I love you."

"Always." Julia lifted her face and turned it slightly so that Severus could kiss her softly, it was just a chaste kiss but the love that they shared was almost tangible to the others in the room. The moment was interrupted when Narcissa laughed at Silas' latest attempt to play 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.'

For the rest of the morning the family expored their presents and their new relationships with each other. When lunch came around it was a slightly more formal affair than breakfast had been but it was comfortable and relaxing for the party.

After lunch the Snapes left for their own home, when they arrived there were wedding presents cluttering up the entire sitting room and Julia got stuck in immediately while Severus watched from the side-lines and Sebastian ran around trailing the paper throughout the whole house, Silas visited Charlie.

After the second round of present opening Julia had retreated to the couch and Seb had curled up with her and had fallen asleep almost as instantly as Julia had.

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><p>Short chapter I know, and I'm sorry but it kind of had to end there. Next chapter should be longer, next chapter is also the final chapter for this story. Love you all!<p>

Review if you have a spare second, thank you for reading!


	20. And a Happy New Year

**Chapter Twenty - And a Happy New Year**

The 31st of December of that year was a happy occasion for the newly formed Snape family, well, it began that way.

Severus awoke that morning to see Julia still blissfully asleep, she hadn't slept quite so peacefully since she had entered her second trimester but the last night had been different, the woman had hardly stirred once. Severus smiled and pressed a soft kiss to her temple stroking her soft her from her face. After a moment of admiring his new wife he climbed out of the bed and took a shower, by the time he was done Julia was still sleeping but he could hear Seb running down the stairs.

He closed the bedroom door behind him carefully and followed the noises of Sebastian playing in the living room.

Seb was on the ground playing with toy airplanes, adding in the sound-effects.

"Hey kid, how did you sleep?" Severus ruffled his son's hair and sat on the ground next to him, picking up a toy truck and fiddling with the wheels.

"'M 'Kay." Seb sniffed.

"Do you have a cold?" Severus lifted his hand and pressed it against Seb's forehead, Seb swatted the hand away.

"No." Seb wiped his hand across his face.

Severus frowned, concerned with his son's odd behaviour. He reached out and took Seb's chin in his hand, turning the little boy's face towards his own. Seb's eyes were red and puffy, as if he'd been crying.

"Seb, what's wrong?" Severus pulled his son into his embrace and Seb sobbed into his chest; Severus rubbed soothing circles on the boys back. "It's all right baby, it's okay." He murmured over and over until Seb's sobs became less frequent, and it was only once the sobs had abated and there was only Seb's slightly laboured breathing left did Seb begin speaking.

"It's okay, don't worry." Seb breathed.

"Tell me Seb, don't hide it from me."

"No, I can't." Seb's breathing was calming down now.

Severus frowned, "Trust me Sebastian, I can take it. I'm your dad, you have to tell me."

Seb shook his head, "Not this kind of thing dad. You're not allowed to know this."

Severus felt frustration at not being able to help his son rising, "Sebastian, tell me. It's all right, you'll feel better, I promise."

"No Daddy, you don't understand. I can't tell you because you can't know; you can't know what's going to happen. You're not allowed to know what your future is going to be." Seb pulled away slightly to look up into his father's eyes, trying to make the man understand.

As comprehension dawned on Severus it was accompanied with a type of anxiousness that Severus could only compare to the time when he had had to fear for the life of his only child; when Voldemort was still roaming the earth looking for a baby to kill; his baby to kill.

Suddenly, with something in his throat threatening to choke him, Severus could only nod and pull his son back into his arms, holding him tightly; and it was unclear to Severus who was drawing more comfort out of this embrace now.

"Severus? What's happened?" Severus looked up to see Julia standing on the last step of the stairs, and Severus forced a smile because he couldn't allow Julia to feel the kind of dreaded apprehension that he was experiencing. He tried his hardest to swallow down the lump in his throat that proved to be unmovable, and gave Julia his most reassuring smile.

"It's all right; Seb's still adjusting a little, I think."

Julia frowned, but nodded, obviously not quite believing him but allowing him the lie for the moment.

"I'm hungry." Seb pulled away from his father and stood up, looking for Severus to take charge and make him food.

"Yeah, me too." Julia agreed, rubbing her stomach.

Severus smirked, "How about you make breakfast this morning?"

Julia rolled her eyes, "I was actually interested in eating something edible, unless of course you wanted cake for breakfast."

Severus chuckled and moved into the kitchen, "Because God forbid you learn how to cook anything that isn't baked goods."

"Hey, I didn't hear you complaining when I made you brownies on our wedding night." Julia sat down, her hand resting on her rounded belly.

"I was hungry! And you offered!" Severus said in mock indignation.

"I'm hungry!" Seb offered, plopping down next to Julia.

"You're always hungry." Severus said, taking out a pan from the cupboard.

"Well, it's a good thing you like cooking then isn't it." Julia smiled at Seb as the little boy began peeling a banana.

"Yeah, yeah, but I know what's happening here, I'm being taken advantage of." Severus flipped the eggs.

"Well Seb and I could always go find some other man for all of our breakfasting needs, who wouldn't complain half so much." Julia threw Seb's banana peel away.

Severus laughed, "Wouldn't want you to do that."

The rest of the day passed in relative familial mediocrity, Julia and Seb sat in the grass on lawn chairs and watched Severus and Silas try to clean out the garden shed; they didn't have much luck because Julia and Seb's running commentary on their behaviour proved rather distracting.

When the morning drew to a close Silas and Severus finally managed to actually accomplish something while Julia and Seb retreated to the kitchen to procure sandwiches for the hungry workmen. The two returned and then all work came to a stop as the family had their impromptu picnic amongst the junk that somehow managed to accumulate from little more than six months of living in the home.

Seb finished first and promptly began destroying all organisation attempts on behalf of Severus and Silas, Julia thought this humorous until Severus informed her that this junk would just have to remain on her lawn, ruining the aesthetic pleasure of sitting outside. By this time Julia was so cold she didn't have much left to argue with and so just ran inside and found a book to read, Seb joined her not long after and the two settled down for their routine afternoon nap.

An hour later Severus and Silas had finished piling all the junk back into the garden shed, feeling like they'd really accomplished something; airing out all that crap was really important after all.

They each showered and then woke Julia and Seb so that they could also get ready for the New Years celebration at Charlie's home.

A very relaxed Charlie greeted them at the front door, apparently she had begun the celebrations rather early, Silas took charge of the inebriated woman and Severus couldn't help but be puzzled over his eagerness to do so.

Julia greeted her hosts and then plopped on a sofa with a glass of orange juice and one of Charlie's trashy magazines, this one called 'Witch Weekly,' Julia thought Wizarding World artefacts amusing.

The night was not an eventful one but at eight o'clock Julia felt the need for quadruple chock brownie ice-cream and both houses were empty of all pregnant Julia ice-cream craving foods.

"I'll run out and get you some." Severus said from where he was playing chess with Nick.

"No, don't worry about it, I'll go myself. I feel like I could have some more cravings coming on, I just need to see it to feel it, if you know what I mean." Julia stood up and dropped the magazine on the coffee table.

"In other words you feel like some impulse buying, and my realistic and frugal person would hinder you." Severus smirked up at the woman as she moved over and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Exactly! So glad you understand, now can I have your credit card?" She held out her hand and it was obvious that it was more a command than an actual question.

Severus just shook his head and fished his wallet from his pocket, "And what's wrong with your card?"

Julia scoffed, "I don't wanna have to pay more off than I already owe, don't be silly Severus."

Severus rolled his eyes and handed over the card, Julia smiled, "Thank you, I'll be back in a minute."

"Really?" Severus raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, so maybe I'll be an hour. Love you!" She kissed the top of his head and after ruffling Seb's hair she was out the front door. A minute later Severus heard the engine to his car across the street start and pull away, down the street.

With a small smile he turned his attention back to the game, and thoroughly thrashed Nick twice before he began to wonder what had happened to Julia. It was little more than curiosity at this point so the man just returned to his game and beat Nick another three times. It was almost eleven o'clock and Julia had still not returned.

With the suggestion of Nick they both went to investigate at the Snape household to see if Julia had perhaps at least made it that far.

When they got to the house Julia was nowhere in sight and just as Severus was about to close the front door behind them again the phone rang and Severus rushed to it, perhaps Julia had experienced car trouble or something.

Severus answered the phone, "Hello, Severus Snape speaking."

"Hello, is that Mr. Snape?" A formal female voice asked.

Severus frowned, "Yes."

"Is your wife Julia Snape?" The woman asked.

"She is. What's this about?" Severus felt panic begin to set in, who was this woman, was Julia in trouble, why was this woman calling him instead of Julia, if she was in trouble?

"Oh, I'm glad I've found you Mr. Snape. I'm Mary Gordon, I'm a nurse at St John of God hospital."

"Hospital? Is she okay? What happened? Is the baby okay?" Full blown panic overtook the man and he had to sit down, but there was no chair nearby so he flopped to the ground and Nick came rushing over.

"What is it? Are you all right?" Nick asked, Severus shushed him as the woman began speaking in a much calmer, understanding tone.

"Mr. Snape, there has been an accident, and unfortunately Mrs. Snape was involved."

"Oh my God! Is she all right?" Severus' head fell forward into his free hand.

"To be completely honest Mr. Snape, it's best if you just come down here, so that we can be completely clear on the condition of your wife."

"I'm coming." Severus hung up the phone and rushed out the door to jump into his car and race to the hospital, but his car was gone, Julia had used it.

Severus turned to ask Nick for his car but the man was already running across the street and sticking his head in the front door of his own house.

Severus assumed the man was informing the party of what they had discovered and ran to the his car, Nick met him there and then proceeded to tell Severus to get in the passenger's seat because he was in no fit state to drive. And as Nick sped down the street Severus felt that lump in his throat from the morning conversation with Seb resurface, and Severus felt it multiply again and again until he could hardly breathe and Nick was glancing at him so often that he was barely watching the road; Severus was hyperventilating and he couldn't force himself to calm down.

"Severus, it's all right. It'll be okay. We'll probably get to the hospital and Julia'll be completely fine. Calm down, okay?" Nick tried to be consoling but Severus knew, he just knew that it was way worse than that, and suddenly all those dark predictions that Seb had been handing out to him over the last couple of months made sense, and Severus realised that that was because they were all coming to a head now, it was the end now, Severus was going to start his extremely sad period of time now because he would arrive at the hospital and find his wife and son dead.

But Severus couldn't help that small amount of hope that told him that this was a muggle hospital, perhaps St Mungos could do more for his little family, perhaps St Mungos would be able to save them. And even as Severus allowed this small hope to grow he knew it was fruitless, because Seb had told him it would be; sure, not in so many words but Seb had let on that whatever would happen would be worse than all of Severus' imaginings and he couldn't imagine much worse than arriving at that hospital and finding both Julia and Jacob dead.

They arrived at the hospital at a quarter to twelve. Severus rushed into the emergency room, and straight up to the counter.

The nurse took one look at him and said, "Are you Mr. Snape?"

"Where is she?" Severus demanded.

The nurse sighed and shook her head, "I'm very sorry for your lo-"

"No!" Severus cut her off. "No, no, no, no! Where!"

"Mr. Snape - " Severus caught her slight gesture to a double doored room just beyond the desk and bolted for it, not sparing a moment for the woman before him.

The doors sprang open and Severus froze on the threshold.

On the emergency gurney lay Julia Snape, still. Her clothes were gone; replaced with a hospital robe. Her beautiful long hair was matted with blood and unidentifiable substances. Her face was still, recently cleaned from the bloody wound at her hair line. She had no pillow, just a sheet that rested just at her shoulders, her round belly protruding under it and promising things that only mocked him now. Severus stepped forward slowly and reached a shaky hand towards his wife's cheek, it was still warm; barely, but her lips were blue and her eyes were closed; Severus knew he would never see those beautiful eyes ever again and he couldn't breath at all anymore and Severus begun to cry, to cry on the cold chest of his once wife. The clock chimed twelve but Severus didn't notice because Julia Snape never saw the New Year.

* * *

><p>So sad... and that's the end!<p>

For this story, there is a sequel. I should begin posting it by the end of the month! Review me please, I worked hard on this story and hearing your feedback makes it all worth it, well, sort of. There is an innate sense of satisfaction when you see something you wrote on a public forum such as this, but in any case, thank you for reading!

**_Reviews from Chapter Eighteen_**

**cara-tanaka** - Haha thank you! :D

**Mira SeverusSirius Black-Snape**: Haha! Thanks love! :D

**LemonDropsWoolSocks**: Good to know that my story gives you the energy boost that you need! haha! Sorry to depress you, I hope this chapter hasn't depressed you too much! Ah you am I kidding you're probably crying at the moment and yelling at me for being such a nasty author! Haha, okay, it's decided! The sequel will deffo have some Charlie/Silas action! :D So... at least I didn't kill Severus, huh? haha! please don't send the flying monkeys at me! Good to know that you can hold off your anticipation for the next story with your anticipation for this chapter, I'm sorry that it took me so long to get it to you, but for obvious reasons I found this chapter rather hard to get into and right. Your story is brilliant so far, sorry it's taking me so long to do your chapters but it's taking me longer than I suspected because I have so much stuff going on at the moment and I want to make sure I do a really good job for you! Thank you as always my darling Young One for the consistent reviews and complete love of my story! :D JP

**_Reviews from Chapter Nineteen_**

**cara-tanaka**: Good to hear, as always :D

**Mira SeverusSirius Black-Snape**: haha, might be... nah sorry dear but Sirius is not in this trilogy, maybe the next story I write! Haha

**LemonDropsWoolSocks**: I love how you like to imagine my characters committing deeds that I personally would rather not think about, haha, well at least someone gets enjoyment out of it! :D I used to play piano as a child but I quit when I turned twelve, my teacher was a monster! :D Good to know that you love my Malfoys, I don't like it when they're mean, it makes me sad! And now you know what the twist is, is it really better than not knowing? ;)


	21. Sequel Announcement

Sequel, "And in the Light" is now posted!


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